


Smoke and Mirrors

by Ginger_Pop, jlcamp09



Series: Amas Veritas [5]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-30
Updated: 2016-08-11
Packaged: 2018-06-05 11:23:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 16
Words: 69,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6702757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ginger_Pop/pseuds/Ginger_Pop, https://archiveofourown.org/users/jlcamp09/pseuds/jlcamp09
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Solas knew tearing down the Veil would bring about chaos. He never expected this...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the final part of our series. Sorry for the delay. The writer's block hit us hard.

Decisions weighed heavily on Solas’s mind as he held open the door to the inn for Jennifer and Abelas. Firstly, there was the matter of Hawke still alive, trapped in the Fade. Solas had promised Varric that he would work on a way to bring the man back safely to this world. There was also the matter of the warps in the Veil, tiny tears that transported them at random between Thedas and Jennifer’s world. Something had to be done about that, and soon. On second thought, perhaps that was a more pressing matter than Hawke at the moment. And there was still the ever pressing guilt upon him that he had taken everything from the elves, had taken away their connection to the Fade, had taken away their immortality. 

Overwhelmed would be an understatement for him at this point.

He cast a sidelong glance at Jennifer. Though she was doing her best to hide it, he could see the sadness in her eyes. Not that he could blame her; she’d just seen off her sister and their friends as they departed to start the next chapters of their lives. He was torn. He didn’t want to be insensitive to her feelings, but he was eager to discuss plans with Abelas. They’d been at this inn for days, surrounded almost constantly by the remaining members of the Inquisition, and he’d had nearly no time to speak with the sentinel.

“They will be alright, Vhenan,” Solas said softly as he placed his arm around Jennifer’s shoulders and steered her towards the stairs that would lead them up to their room. “This is not goodbye forever. You will see them again.” He glanced over his shoulder at Abelas, watching the other elf as he struggled to get up the stairs. Yet another factor he had to take into consideration, the fact that Abelas was still, to some extent, disabled. 

He cleared his throat and gave Jennifer’s shoulder a squeeze. “Should we take lunch in our rooms? There are some matters I would like to discuss privately, if you both feel up for it.”

Jennifer blinked a moment, leaning into the elf’s touch. She glanced up the stairs, watching Ellie encourage Abelas as they headed towards their own room and she nodded. “Yeah, I imagine it’s time to talk about the future, isn’t it?” She had a weird feeling wash over her, that she was really on her own with them now. That this world was her own. Saying goodbye to their friends, seeing off her sister, was almost too much to fathom. “Let’s get lunch for everyone then. We can talk about whatever you like.” She remembered the rather all telling ending of the game where Solas had disappeared to find Mythal, absorbing her essence to start gathering the power he needed to tear down the Veil. “I just don’t want to lose you.”

“Never again,” he promised. “We’ve only just found each other again.” His fingers curled protectively around her shoulder as they allowed Abelas to pass them, then followed him and Ellie towards the room. Solas couldn’t hold back the snicker that escaped him. “I see Elowyn is feeling better.”

Ellie clicked her tongue at Abelas as if encouraging a pony to come to her. “Almost there, old man,” she teased, fighting the urge to laugh at the look he gave her. “Come on, come on, you can do it.” She pulled out a chair at the table in their room and wiggled it encouragingly at him. Oh he would kill her for this, she was certain. Normally his leg didn’t cause him too much grief anymore, but those damn stairs really took it out of him. But if she could piss him off enough, it seemed to give him the boost to make it, even if just to defy her.

Abelas grit his teeth, shaking his head at her as he moved to sit down in the chair. “Remind me again why it is that I put up with you?” he asked as he reached up to yank her down into his lap, smirking as she gave out a shriek from being caught off guard. “I am starting to remember that you are quite the insufferable taskmaster.”

“Well, that is my job,” she reminded him, her face going rather hot as she settled into his lap. She couldn’t remember him being quite this playful ever before and she wasn’t certain what to make of it. She glanced over her shoulder with an accusatory look. “You got into that medicine Jennifer bought me, didn’t you? It’s made you loopy.”

Abelas shook his head. “I would believe it is your silliness that has started to rub off on me. I am not certain I like it. I should be more wary of you. Did you never learn to be respectful of your elders?” He shook his head as he looked over to Solas and Jennifer as they came into the room and sat down on the bed, the serious, troubled expression on Solas’s face sobering him up. He knew the task ahead of them would be far from easy. 

Ellie sensed that now was not the time to be playful and flirting. She cleared her throat and stood, tucking a piece of blonde hair behind her pointed ear. “I’ll, ah, go get us that food you mentioned,” she said and hurried from the room. 

“We must make plans soon on how to deal with the Veil,” Solas said, not wasting time on idle talk. “We know that whatever barrier exists between our world and Jennifer’s world is breaking down. I fear that if we do not do something soon, those tears will grow. There is no telling what will happen to this world or hers if that barrier completely fails.” A long sigh escaped him as the weight of it all seemed to press down on his shoulders. “And we must do something about Hawke’s situation. I know he is safe with your Gramma in the Fade, Jennifer, but he cannot stay there forever. I do not know how to rescue him without tearing down the Veil.”

Abelas pressed his lips together, seeing the look that Jennifer and Solas exchanged. “I’m not certain there is another way to save the man you speak of. Before I met you and the Inquisition, I would have eagerly agreed with you that the Veil should be torn down, with very little care for what would happen to the shemlen here.” He looked up and met Solas’s eyes. “Things have changed, would you not agree? If you were to tear down the Veil as you originally planned, the world would burn in the chaos that presented. Not many would survive. Magic would flow through everyone and everything once more. Many will perish because of the shock that it would deliver to their bodies. Mass panic would sweep the land when spirits and demons are suddenly returned to this plane.”

Solas frowned. He’d expected Abelas to be more agreeable to the idea. “I do not wish harm upon the people of this world. You both know that. Perhaps I was a bit over dramatic when I said the world would burn. It would not literally burn, but there would be quite the initial shock, yes.” He pressed his lips thin as he thought about it. “The people of this world… they do not know what the world is supposed to be like. They have lost so much and they don’t even realize it. To see magic so hated and feared, it is hard for me to bear. It is an inherent part of their nature, one they have forgotten. Perhaps if they had that again, they would respond to it better than we can foresee.”

Jennifer licked her lips, thinking about what sort of impact that would have on the world. On people like Cullen and her sister. What would happen if Solas took down the Veil while her sister was still pregnant? Would Cullen be able to live with himself if he suddenly discovered he had magic? “I wish this were as simple as tearing down the Veil and everyone being alright with suddenly being mages. What about those who have a real phobia of magic? Innocent people who suddenly don’t know how to control what they are given? With so much panic and confusion, a lot of people are going to die.” 

A muscle ticked in Solas’s jaw and he had to level his breathing to keep from snapping at either of them. “Then tell me what we should do instead,” he said tersely. “Your world and our world are going to… collide, for lack of a better word, if we do not do something soon.” He turned slightly on the bed to look at Jennifer. “Tearing down the Veil would set things right again, Vhenan. It would give people back their immortality. Or do you honestly expect me to sit idly by and watch as you and Olivia grow old and die while I remain?” He knew he was being harsh, it was evident in his tone, and yet he could not stop himself. “Yes, people may die. People die every day. I would sacrifice them all if it meant protecting you and our daughter, and any future children we may have.”

Jennifer winced at the sharp tone he spoke to her in. She was acutely reminded of her love’s greatest fear, dying alone. In every sense of the word. It was the last thing she wanted to do to him and he certainly didn’t deserve that fate. Though, why the worlds were colliding, she had no idea. Perhaps because of the red lyrium. “I don’t have a better idea, but there has to be something out there that’s a better alternative than this. I just want you to think very hard about it. One day, our daughter is going to be old enough to ask questions. Do you think she would be alright to learn that countless people died just so she could be immortal?” 

His eyes narrowed slightly. “Perhaps not. Do you also plan to tell her that it was my fault thousands of people died at the Conclave? That I was the one who gave Corypheus that power? If that is the case, then I am already damned. Or would you rather I be there, alone, at the end of her life and have to explain to her why I did not do everything I could to save her from dying at all?” he shot back. He had to swallow harshly, feeling his throat constrict. “If it spares you and her from such a fate, I will accept whatever future judgement she may or may not decide to pass on me. If it means keeping you both alive, then so be it.”

Abelas could see the hurt look in Jennifer’s eyes at Solas’s words and he sighed. “Lady Jennifer, think of it this way. The Veil, from what I have seen and experienced, is failing already. It will crash and destroy everything on its own with or without our aid in the matter. With Solas and I, perhaps even a bit of your own brand of magic, taking down the barrier gently, there will be less casualties than there would be if we left it too it’s own devices. It is not a matter of should he or should he not tear down the Veil. It is a matter of how it should happen.”

The tension in Solas’s shoulders seemed to lessen as Abelas spoke and he mentally kicked himself for not explaining it like that to Jennifer. Of course, how long it would take for the Veil to dissipate on its own was unknown. But he didn’t feel that was necessary to mention. As it was, it would take time for him to gather enough strength to take it down anyway. “The world was never meant to be like this, Vhenan,” he said, his tone softer, kinder. “Perhaps the world itself is trying to right the wrongs I have done and that is why the Veil is failing.”

Ellie stood in the doorway, a tray of food in her hands, listening to their conversation. She didn’t know what to think of it all, the prospect of immortality. Could that really be true? She supposed they wouldn’t be having such a heated discussion if it wasn’t. Quietly, she closed the door behind her and set the tray of food on the table, then sat herself in a chair and took one of the plates for herself. She wasn’t sure if she was supposed to be part of the conversation, if her opinion would be welcomed, or if she even had enough information now to have an opinion at all. But she knew one thing for sure; she and Abelas would talk about this later.

Jennifer listened as Abelas explained why this had to happen and she found herself nodding in agreement. “I didn’t even think about it being that way,” she murmured, thinking of how disastrous it could be if the Veil just fell on its own with no one there to control it. The way he described it reminded her of lumberjacks taking down a tree. Sure, a tree would fall on its own, but without those skilled people there to guide it, it could end very badly. She looked to Solas, seeing the worry in his eyes and she gave him a small smile. She reached over and cover his hand with hers. “We need to work on you sharing your thoughts. You have a family to discuss this with now. Each one of us has a different view. New ideas and such. Maybe even Ellie might be able to contribute.”

Ellie almost choked on the food in her mouth and it took her a moment to recover. “I know this may come as a shock, me not having an opinion, but right now, I really don’t,” she confessed. She took a big gulp of water, easing her throat and giving herself a moment to collect her thoughts. “I’m just here to make sure the old man here doesn’t hurt himself,” she said with a jerk of her head at Abelas.

Solas nearly rolled his eyes, but he was far more concerned with what Jennifer said. He closed his fingers around her hand, feeling his frustration easing away. This would be much easier with her on his side. “Once the Veil is down, I theorize that reinforcing whatever barrier exists between this world and yours will be much easier. The magic will flow more freely, we should then be able to channel it into stopping whatever breakdown is occurring. We may be able to discover why it is happening, learn how to prevent it from happening again.”

Jennifer nodded, feeling conflicted, but not as much as before. “Our friends, at least when the time comes, can we warn them about what might happen with the magic, the spirits and demons? I would hate to think that my sister’s future husband and father of her child could go through this being unphased in some way. And Bull, you know how he feels about demons. I don’t want him going insane.”

Abelas considered Jennifer’s words and spared a glance at Ellie as she ate. It did leave the question that was begging to be asked. What would happen to everyone once the Veil was brought down? He looked back to Solas. “What of the Evanuris? I am assuming that you had a plan for dealing with them once the Veil was destroyed?” 

“I do,” Solas answered, but did not elaborate. If the topic at hand had not been so serious, he would have chuckled at the obvious frustration he could sense from them. He reached for one of the plates on the tray and handed it to Jennifer. “Eat, Vhenan. The little one will be awake soon. Eat before she demands your attention again,” he said, then took a plate for himself. 

Ellie paused in her eating and blinked as she looked from Solas to Jennifer and Abelas. “He always this cryptic and frustrating?”

“Don’t forget grim and fatalistic,” Jennifer added, looking over at Ellie before she glanced at Solas. She was reminded of the game, so much of the game. How well he was able to hide things, but she was getting better at reading him and he was being more honest. “Hopefully, you will tell us when you are ready.”

“Of course,” he answered, still keeping his expression neutral as he began to eat. He had a plan. And in time he fully intended to tell them what that plan was, how he intended to handle the Evanuris. What he wasn’t going to tell them now was that he had no idea if that plan was going to work.


	2. Chapter 2

“You have to try to bend your knee more,” Ellie instructed, yet again, as she stood on the step next to Abelas. “If Solas really wants us to start travelling again in a few days, you’ve got to get more mobility in that leg.” They were halfway up the tavern stairs for the fourth time in a row. She knew he was getting tired, he would be sore later, but this was definitely a problem. “You’re not giving up now, are you?”

The sentinel grit his teeth as he corrected his step once more. The numbness he felt was not as bad as it had been, but he was starting to feel the pain flaring up again. It was pathetic, to be brought down to this level when he should be stronger, faster than anyone in their group. “The idea crossed my mind. It would certainly be easier to fall down and give up, but the thought of your nagging if I allowed such a thing to happen is more than enough to keep me motivated.” 

“Good!” she said, her tone overly-cheery. She flashed a big smile at him, hoping to irritate him even more and simultaneously hide her concern over him. He’d fussed over her for too long while she was sick. Now it was her turn to be the one in charge again. She stepped up beside him again as he managed the stair. “So… what Solas was talking about earlier. Everyone being immortal. Will that really happen?” she asked without looking him in the eye. She kept her gaze trained on his leg, watching how much he could bend it, if the muscles trembled when he put too much weight on it. “I mean, for everyone?”

Abelas moved his hand up the railing, the wood smooth as silk beneath his palm as he took another step, his muscles protesting. “That is the general idea. It has been centuries since the Veil was created. The flow of magic was suddenly cut off and over time immortality of the elvhen vanished along with all that we once were. I am uncertain if when the Veil is finally taken down that immortality and magic will return all at once or if it will be a gradual change that may take many more centuries to return.”

A slight frown crossed her lips. “But if it takes that long, would it benefit Jennifer and Olivia at all? I mean, that’s a big reason Solas wants to take down the Veil, right? Although it might be easier for the world as a whole if it came back gradually. Less shock, ya know?” Her frown deepened. “You’re relying too much on that railing. Use your leg, dammit.” 

Abelas shot her a look, then he shook his head, taking his hand off of the railing as she asked. “I believe Solas intends to use the influx of magic to help aid his lath and daughter gain that immorality much faster if it is not restored immediately.” He winced as he stepped up another, the pain settling into a constant in the back of his mind. “Are you concerned about the plans?”

“Maybe. A little,” she admitted. “I don’t really know what to think. I mean, it’ll happen whether we want it to or not, right? You said the Veil was starting to fall apart on its own. I just worry about people who have never had magic before. Think about the Templars. They’ll lose their damn minds. But if it can’t be avoided, then I guess it’s better that people like you and Solas try to control it instead of just letting the whole thing go to shit on its own.” She looked up ahead of them. “C’mon. Five more steps and then I’ll give you a break before dinner, old man,” she teased. “You can lie down and rest for a bit.”

“So generous you are,” he breathed as he pushed himself, “And you are correct. It will not be an easy transition for anyone.” He sighed and paused in his steps. “To be honest with you, Elowyn, I am not certain what will happen. The Veil will fall, with or without us. What happens after that, who can tell? We will have to do our best to survive the transition. Many will be frightened and people who are frightened can do terrible things.”

“I know that much is true,” she muttered and gently pressed on his back, prodding him to keep climbing the stairs. She allowed her bossy demeanor to slip just a bit and she finally met his eyes. “At least I’ll be with you when it happens. That makes me feel safer,” she said softly as they finally reached the top of the stairs. She hesitated a moment, tempted to kiss him, but lost her nerve and looked towards their room. They’d flirted, shared a quick kiss here and there, but she still wasn’t completely certain about their relationship. “Let’s get you laid down for a bit.”

Abelas looked down at her, following her gaze towards their room. He remembered the fun that they had earlier before the tearful goodbye to their friends. The softness in her eyes reminded him when he had taken care of her, protected her. He could see the worry once more in her eyes. “I swore that I would protect you from whatever would come our way, did I not? Whatever happens next, it is my hope that we will face it together.”

Ellie’s heart gave a skip at that, to hear him say it again, to hear the underlying passion in his voice. “We will,” she said and took his hand, leading him towards their room. She helped him to sit on the bed, then knelt down and pulled off his boots for him. “Lay down,” she said softly, seeing that he was in more pain than he wanted to let on. A soft frown crossed her lips. “Where does it hurt the worst?” she asked as she stood again, looking down at him. “And don’t lie to me. I know you’re hurting.”

He raised an eyebrow at her. “I’m not certain if I like you knowing how to read me. My knee is sore, as are the muscles in my back around the area where the knife went in.” He laid back, sinking into the fresh sheets and the cool mattress. “I should be fine with a little rest and a hot meal,” he murmured as he watched her carefully.

Ellie toed off her boots and climbed over him into the bed to sit on her knees behind him. Though she pushed him hard during his therapy, she didn’t want him to be in any pain either. Gingerly, she lifted the back of his shirt until she could see the scar left from Morrigan’s knife. It still angered her and she wondered what had become of the witch. 

She shook her head. No, she would not think about that now. Instead, she turned her attention to Abelas and placed her hands on his back, slowly starting to work her thumbs into the muscles there. The muscles were tense, knotted up, and she knew it would take a while to work them loose. Her fingers curled over his hip, letting her really press into his back. “Loosen your breeches a bit so I can get to those lower muscles.”

He gave her a look, a small smirk tugging at his lips. Perhaps he was getting some sort of contact high from the medication she had taken. He was feeling rather uncharacteristically playful. “Trying to get me out of my clothes again? Shame you were not recently stranded in a blizzard to warrant you needing warming up.” He still loosened the ties on his pants, giving her more access to his muscles. He sucked in a sharp breath as she found a tender area just below the waistband. “Fenedhis.” 

“I didn’t do that on purpose,” she reminded him. She tugged down the waistband of his breeches a little more and focused on the spot that made him hiss like that. “Breathe,” she soothed, rubbing a little more gently at the sore muscle with one hand, the other resting on his hip to keep him from pulling away from her. When he relaxed a little, she ran her hand comfortingly back and forth over his hip. “Maybe I pushed you a little too hard today,” she said.

Abelas relished in the firm pressure of Ellie’s fingers expertly digging into his muscles and working them loose again. “It is pathetic to think that the witch took so much from me in one moment of distraction. Walking up and down stairs should be nothing to me. I should be sprinting up mountains,” he said, a groan of pleasure working itself from his throat as she pressed on a nerve that relieved some of the ache in his leg. 

“You will be before you know it,” she said softly. She bit her lip and continued to work on his back. The soft moan from his voice sent a thrill up her spine and made a heat start to pool low in her belly. She softened her touch ever so slightly and let the hand resting on his hip move just a fraction lower as she rubbed at him, her fingertips grazing lightly over the lower plane of his stomach. “You’ll be good as new soon if I have any say so in it,” she promised as she focused her magic for a moment, summoning a bit of heat to her hands to help soothe away the pain.

He wasn’t sure what happened the next moment, but the way her fingers slid over his skin sparked something inside of him. A feeling he hadn’t felt in centuries that felt like a hot, tingling pleasure that seeped through him. He couldn’t bite back the moan that slipped past his lips at the feeling of her hands, the heat that flowed over his skin. His hips leisurely rocked forward and he let his eyes dart over to see her, debating what should come next. “...more,” he requested quietly, unsure of what that would bring. It would be her choice what happened next.

Ellie paused and blinked at him, uncertain of what he meant at first. Then she realized how low her hand had dipped into the front of his breeches, noticed how his breathing had become slightly heavier, and the heat in her own belly seemed to increase tenfold. Swallowing the nervous feeling in her chest, she let her hand slide lower, her fingertips running through the coarse hair she found there, just barely brushing over the base of his length. For a moment, she thought it was crazy, the two of them doing something like this after all the tension between them, but now she thought she wanted nothing more than to give him as much pleasure as she possibly could. 

She bit her lip and smiled when she felt his length stir and she carefully drew her fingers up the length of it, listening to his breathing, his soft gasps and moans. She leaned over to his ear, whispering hotly against it, “Like this?”

Abelas sucked in another breath of air, all thoughts of the pain in his leg and knee were gone. His length throbbed as her hot fingers skimmed teasingly over his hard flesh. He couldn’t stop himself as he shallowly thrust into her light grip. He swallowed a moment before he definitively rolled on his back, reaching up and letting his fingers curl around the back of her neck as he drew her down into a heated kiss. He caught her lower lip with his teeth, nibbling a moment before he slid his tongue into her mouth, tasting the sweetness there. Oh how she infuriated him at the best of times, but this? This had potential. 

A soft moan escaped Ellie as she returned Abelas’s kiss, her eyes fluttering shut. Oh, he tasted so sweet. Her fingers fumbled with the laces on his breeches, loosening them more until his length sprang free. Goosebumps erupted over her skin to feel him fully in her hand as she closed her fingers around his shaft, stroking him slowly. She trailed kisses down to the side of his neck, sucking at the smooth skin there. Part of her worried about what she was doing, but in that moment, she didn’t care about the consequences afterwards. “Maker, I want you,” she confessed hotly in his ear. 

He bit his lip and tilted his head back as the healer slid her hand over him and he felt himself throb within her grasp. Creators help him, he wanted her as well. “Hmm, I suppose you will still be the hard taskmaster even if I let you this close to me,” he murmured, reaching up and catching her chin between two long fingers, studying her carefully as he leaned up and kissed her again. “I must confess, I will not be able to do much more than lay like this for the time being. I have had some rather interesting ideas for joinings at a later time. If you think you can put up with me for that long. You might decide that the old man isn’t worth your time after all.”

“Hush,” she scolded him. She rather liked the idea of him just laying there, letting her pleasure him as she liked. She gripped his length a little harder and pressed a soft kiss to his lips as she stroked him. “You worry too much.” She wagged her eyebrows teasingly at him before she scooted to lay next to his hip and teased the tip of his length with her tongue. She gave a soft moan at the taste of him, sweeter than she’d expected. Her hand worked a little faster over him as she let her lips and tongue play teasingly with the head of his cock, trying to coax out more. 

Abelas let out a string of Elvhen as her talented mouth worked over him. He couldn’t stop his hips as they tried to follow the warmth she offered and he reached down, his fingers sliding through the silken strands of her hair. “This hardly seems like... nngh... a fair exchange,” he moaned out, rubbing his thumb over her temple. “I would return the favor if you turned around.” He suddenly had the urge to see if he could get more than orders to spill from her lips.  

A giggle escaped her as she considered his offer. Oh, that sounded heavenly, yet at the same time she really liked having this control over him. With her free hand, she unlaced her own breeches and wriggled out of them as she licked along his thick, hard length. “That is tempting,” she purred as she pulled back and tore away her top, then leaned over again to capture him in her mouth once more. She swirled her tongue around the head, then gave another soft moan as she descended on him, taking the full length into her throat. Her core tingled and throbbed at the thought of his mouth on her, and when she could stand it no more, she climbed over him, offering herself to him as she sucked harder on his length.

Abelas cried out as he was swallowed whole and he could barely find the air to breathe as his world narrowed down to the point where she connected them. He spread his legs a little wider, bracing the soles of his feet against the mattress as he lifted his arms and ran his hands appreciatively over the smooth skin of her rear, admiring the glistening folds in front of him. She smelled divine, of clean soap and lavender oil from the baths. It made his mouth water and he knew it had been far too long since he allowed himself to enjoy such pleasures. He guided her down over his face, his tongue flickering out to taste her. He groaned at the flavor of her before he slipped his tongue deeply into her, groaning as he ate her decadence. 

Every muscle in her body seemed to tense as the sudden wet heat of his mouth met her sex. Oh Maker, but he was talented with that tongue. Slowly she relaxed over him, relishing in the feel of his tongue slipping into her body, his lips teasing her folds and her clit. She pulled back with a gasp, stroking him firmly with her hand as she gently rocked her hips against his face. “Abelas,” she whined, “I... ohhh...” Determined to bring him as much pleasure as he gave her, she took him into her mouth again, her hand cupping the full orbs beneath his shaft, kneading them as she bobbed her mouth on his length. 

He shivered, feeling his length throbbing as she touched him so carefully, yet with a firmness that drove him insane. He groaned, pulling back from her as he gasped. Oh he would be feeling this in the morning. “Elowyn,” he breathed, pressing a kiss to her inner thigh as he slipped two fingers into her slick heat, “I do not believe I have seen you so at a loss for words before. Tell me what you want.”

She sucked at him for a minute longer, thinking over his words. “You,” she breathed as she finally pulled back. “Just you.” Her face burned slightly as she thought of all the things she’d  _ really  _ like to do, but perhaps that was a bit too much too soon. She crawled off of him and turned around to kiss his mouth, moaning against his lips as she unbuttoned the shirt he wore and ran her hands over the warm muscles of his chest. Grasping his length, she straddled his hips and sank down onto him with a gasp of delight as his thick length filled her.

Abelas hissed as she settled over him, his mind singling in on just her. It was certainly a better tactic to make him forget about the pain in his knee than doing the exercises. She was so certain of herself and what she wanted. Joining her was as natural as breathing. He reached up, long fingers digging into her hips as he held her on him for a moment, shivering as he felt his length twitch in her silken heat. It had been a very long time for him, but he wasn’t about to let himself disappoint her. Being like this with her was the last thing he would have thought about when he first came to be with the Inquisition. He reached up, kissing at her neck fervently as he rocked up into her.

Ellie panted heavily, tilting her head as his lips pressed against her skin. “Easy, old man,” she warned as she rolled her hips, another moan escaping her. “You don’t want to pull something. Just… mmmm. Let me do the work.” She grabbed his hands from her hips and held them against the bed as she met his eyes. A mischievous little smirk played across her lips as she sensually grinded down on him, feeling his cock moving within her. She kissed and nibbled at his lips before lifting herself up and plunging back down on him, crying out at the sensation.

Abelas sucked in a breath as she rocked her hips against him; he growled the next moment at the comment she made to him, again. He didn’t stop the roll of his eyes and he lifted his hand, delivering a smack to her backside for it. “Hush, da’len. You should respect your elders,” he scolded, leaning up and catching her lips, nipping at her as he thrust up against her sharply, making a point, “I can keep up with you better than you think.”

Her eyes widened at the sudden sting of his slap, then darkened with lust as she gazed down at him. Her core clenched around his length and she rode him harder, the slight pain fading into pleasure. “If you’re going to smack my ass for mouthing off,” she said, leaning down to his ear and bouncing harder on his cock as she lowered her voice, “do it like you mean it.”

His eyes widened at the obvious challenge that she issued to him. He could see the way her eyes dilated so much there was only a tiny sliver of color left. By the Creators, she enjoyed the bit of pain. At the realization, he felt his own jolt of pleasure surge through him at the thought of returning in kind for all of the remarks she had made to him, the things he had suffered through at her insistence. Truly for his benefit, but then again, this wasn’t entirely punishment. He lifted his hand and smacked her again, with more intent. He palmed her rear afterwards, feeling the bloom of heat across his palm. “Perhaps it is something I will give you. Such an odd, yet delightful creature you are.”

Ellie cried out sharply as his hand connected with her flesh again. Oh how she wished he had the ability to take over, to make her the submissive one and use her as he saw fit for his pleasure. They would get to that point, she was more determined of that now more than anything. Her center throbbed around him, her pleasure winding tighter as she rode him. Oh, she wanted more. She sat up straight, looking defiantly down at him as she bounced on him, pausing to gyrate her hips over his. An obscene moan escaped her as she cupped her own breasts and teased her nipples. “Are you sure you can keep up?” she taunted, squeezing her muscles around him.

Abelas groaned as she teased herself, arching her back to push her breasts forward. He was a doomed man if she kept this up. He could see the want in her eyes, the way she wanted to push him as in every aspect of life. He suddenly found himself wanting to be able to turn them over, to brace himself above her and give her all the pleasure that he could. He smirked again as he gave her a few more smacks, his hand tingling from the force of it. She tensed up around his cock, squeezing him tightly with each one. She looked spectacular like this.

“Abelas,” she gasped warningly, moving faster over him, her pleasure wound tighter than she could’ve ever thought possible. The delicious sting of pain from her rear only fueled her desire and she rocked her hips faster, taking him deeper, harder into her body. She was so close, she could barely stand it, her body clenching tighter around him until she finally came with a cry, her hips jerking harshly against his as she rode out her orgasm.

The sentinel watched with satisfaction as the pain turned into pleasure for Ellie, so much so that she became a wanton creature. The blush spread over her body and up her long, pale throat as her body became a vice around him. He rather liked being able to return the pain without being punished in return. He gripped her hips and helped her get back into a rhythm as he bounced her on his hardness. “You enjoyed that.”

She nodded breathlessly, letting his hands on her hips guide her movements. She wanted to return the same, to see this stoic man come undone under her ministrations. Drawing a deep breath, she set her face determinedly and bounced a little faster on him, contracting her muscles around his length. Her fingers teased at his nipples, watching his expression as she tried to bring him as much pleasure as possible. 

Abelas groaned appreciatively as he thrust up into her, matching the extra energy she put into her rocking hips. Her fingers catching on his sensitive flesh made him see stars and only fueled the fire growing in his belly. He would be sore in the morning for using his leg to push himself up, to get just that perfect angle, but it was worth it. He growled, reaching up and pulling her down flush against him as he claimed her lips. He moaned into her as he came, his whole body seizing up as he clutched her to him. If he let go of her, he was certain the pleasure would carry him away.

A satisfied little smirk pulled at Ellie’s lips as Abelas finally stilled beneath her and she pulled back to look at him. “See? We’d have gotten along much better if we’d been doing this the whole time,” she teased. She giggled and kissed his chin, then climbed off of him, her mind suddenly a flurry with questions, most of them wondering what in the world she’d just done. With a soft groan, she laid down at his side and grabbed at the blankets, tugging them up over her shoulder. “Seriously, though, that was nice,” she said, her voice a bit softer, and she gave him a little smile.

Abelas found himself relaxing back into the mattress as Ellie covered them up, her body curling up next to his side. He was still having trouble trying to form coherent thoughts once again and he opened an eye to peer down at her. “Apparently I must strive to do better. Clearly it was not as effective as it should have been, seeing as you are still talking,” he teased back, letting an arm come up around her as he looked to the ceiling once more.  

She scowled at him. “Oh, it’ll take a lot more than that to shut me up,” she yawned and lightly slapped a hand to his chest. Sated for the moment, she thought nothing sounded better than to curl up and nap the afternoon away with him. “Now shush and get some rest before it’s time for supper. You’re going to need it since you decided to overexert yourself. Can’t have you falling asleep in your stew.”

“Your concern moves me.”


	3. Chapter 3

Cullen’s arms ached as he swung the axe again, the quiet thunk dulled by the soft snow that was steadily falling faster and faster. It was nothing compared to some of the blizzards that they had encountered in Skyhold, but it was certainly colder than what he remembered Honnleath being. He was thankful for the warm fur cloak pulled tight around his shoulders as he set another log onto the stump and chopped it in half as well. It was nearly sunset and the entire world had an ethereal feeling to it. He looked to the small cottage, the warm glow from the fire inside lighting the windows invitingly and it only served to encourage him to get his chore done faster so he could retire for the day and rest. 

He had to get the wood chopped, he wouldn’t let his bride and expectant mother go cold in the night because he neglected the basic duties. With a final swing of the axe, the last log was chopped and he embedded it into the center of the stump, taking a moment to wipe his forehead with the back of his hand as he took a deep breath of the cold, snowy air. He had missed his hometown and with the Inquisition dissolved, the current threat ended, he was looking forward to a time of peace. He felt free for the first time in what felt like ages. 

He smiled at the house a moment before he stooped and picked up as many pieces of the firewood that he could carry. He tromped up the stairs, stacking a few to the side of the door to free a hand so he could push the heavy oak door open. 

A wave of warmth washed over him and he couldn’t stop the smile that spread over his face as his skin tingled from the sudden change in temperature. “Maker’s breath, but it’s certainly colder than I remember. Maybe Dorian had a point about heading further up north,” he admitted to his love as he walked over to the fireplace to stack the wood for her. The mabari lifted his head from where he had been sleeping in front of the fire, his stump of a tail wagging furiously. 

“Aww,” Lindsey purred, turning to him and cradling his cold face in her hands. “Let’s get some hot food in you and see if we can’t warm you up.” She took his cloak and hung it by the fire, then nodded at the table where two bowls of stew sat steaming. “At least this is better than tromping up and down that riverbank, following Cassandra,” she said as she carried a loaf of fresh bread to the table and sat down. “Besides, gives me an extra reason to cuddle with you at night,” she added with a wink.

Cullen chuckled as he sat down next to her at the table, laughing as he rubbed his cold nose against her decidedly warmer one. “I would freeze to death without your warmth at my side at night. The no hole in the roof has done wonders as well,” he said, looking up at the rafters, “Though, it was rather nice stargazing with you up in my little loft.” He pressed a firm kiss to her lips before he reached for the crusty loaf of bread and broke it into a few pieces for them both. He sighed at the heat of it, the steam still rising from the middle, and he gave a groan of appreciation as he popped the morsel into his mouth. “I would have to agree with you. This is much better than scouring the riverbank for days on end.”

A slight frown pulled at her mouth as she thought about Skyhold. “Still hard to believe Skyhold’s gone,” she said as she began to eat. “I wonder what happened to some of the others. Sera, Blackwall…” She trailed off and shook her head with a sigh. “Though I can’t say I miss that ladder,” she said with a slight laugh. She’d never much cared for being up that high and truth be told, she didn’t exactly trust all of the floorboards in his room. “I suppose if you miss it that much, though, you could always put a hole in the ceiling above our bed. Be nice if you put glass in it or something, though. Unless you really miss waking up to finding the bed covered in snow.”

Cullen winced at the memory and couldn’t stop the shudder that worked its way through his body. “In my defense, the night had been rather romantic and you very much wore me out. I wasn’t expecting to wake up with both of us covered in a few inches of snow.” He shook his head. “And I wonder about the others as well. Sera and Blackwall were clever. I know they would have made it out. Perhaps Dorian and Bull will find them as they continue their search. That is, if that man can stand the cold long enough to do so.” He looked over at her worried expression and he smiled warmly at her. “You could ask your grandmother. “

“Heh. Should’ve invited Sera to visit Gramma in the Fade. Would’ve been funny to watch her freak out,” Lindsey said with a laugh. “I haven’t tried to visit Gramma in my dreams in a while. I should probably do that soon. She’s going to have words for me as it is. I’ve just been so tired lately, what with trying to get settled in here.” She paused and looked around at the interior of their cottage, unhappy with her own progress thus far. 

The few personal belongings they owned had already been unpacked, but the house still felt sparse. The windows were bare, no rugs yet on the hardwood floor; it didn’t look very lived-in. And something about it all bothered her. 

“Doesn’t quite feel like a home yet, does it?” she asked as she stirred her stew with her spoon. “Maybe if the snow lets up I can go to town, buy a few things to make it feel more… homey. It’s funny, even though I’ve been in Thedas for over a year now, I keep looking around here like, oh we could put a TV there or a computer desk here, and then I remember those things don’t exist in this world.” She gave a slight laugh and looked sheepishly at him. “Silly, huh? I guess old habits die hard. What I wouldn’t give for a hot shower though.”

Cullen chuckled at that, looking around. He had been given the tour of her Grandmother’s house in the Fade and he had to admit, it was rather hard to wrap his mind around the idea of electronics. “It’s hard to forget a lifetime, nor should you. I have to admit, it is rather curious to me. I’ve never had a day where I remember sitting inside staring at a picture on the wall. I suppose I was the overachiever in my family. There were always cows to milk, weeds to pull, siblings to look after.” He studied Lindsey’s face, smiling warmly. “When it stops snowing and the roads clear, we can both go find something to spruce this place up. Perhaps I can work on something that would be similar to your hot shower that you speak of so fondly.”

The corner of her mouth turned up in a smile. “Yeah, you’d speak fondly of them too if you’d ever had one,” she teased. She finished off the last of her stew and slipped a piece of the bread to the puppy who’d laid over her feet. A big yawn split her face and she rubbed at her eyes. “Sorry I’m so tired. Baby just seems to steal all my energy away,” she murmured, laying a hand over her belly, even though she wasn’t very far along yet. She looked longingly towards their bedroom and nearly whined. “You maybe wanna go to bed a little early tonight?” she asked, playfully batting her eyes at him and giving him the biggest smile she could muster. “I promise to snuggle and warm you up.”

The ex-Templar leaned forward, pressing a warm kiss to her cheek as he reached down and covered her hand with his own. There was a thrill of excitement in him and he couldn’t wait to be the best father to the new life growing inside of her. He remembered the struggle they had gone through just so that this was possible. “As if I would deny you anything, love,” he murmured, “Would you like me to do the dishes first or should we get you to bed before you nod off on me?” He smiled as he brushed a lock of her curly hair behind her ear.

“Dishes will keep,” she said, trying to fight another yawn. “It’ll give me something to do tomorrow.” She stole a glance at his bowl and, seeing it was empty, she got to her feet and stretched, tugging at Cullen’s hand to get him to stand with her. “Pretty sure I could fall over and sleep on the floor right here if you let me,” she said and led the way to their room. The bed wasn’t overly big, but it was piled with heavy quilts and squashy pillows, and Lindsey thought nothing could’ve looked more inviting. She kicked off her shoes and quickly stripped down before sliding under the blankets. A shiver shook her whole body and she peered over at Cullen. “Get in here. I need to steal your body heat.”

He chuckled as he watched her disappear under the quilts, poking her head back up a moment later. “Perhaps we should invest in a proper bed warming pan when we get to town,” he suggested, holding her gaze as he stripped down bare and shivered as well, hurrying to climb into the other side of the bed. “Definitely colder than I remember,” he murmured and drew Lindsey into his arms, tucking her head under his chin with a sigh of relief. “I am becoming rather spoiled, falling into bed with you every night,” he said, kissing the top of her head. 

A warm smile pulled at her lips as she snuggled into him, sighing at the warmth. “Get used to it,” she said as her eyes grew heavy. “Because if I have my way, this is how it will be every night for the rest of our lives.” She pressed a kiss to his throat and yawned again as she settled next to him. “Goodnight, love.”

* * *

 

How it happened, Lindsey’ wasn’t exactly sure. One moment she was in bed with Cullen, curled up in his warmth, and the next thing she knew, she was alone, kneeling on a hard floor, the stones digging painfully into her knees. “Please,” she gasped, her back stinging horribly as the warm blood trickled down her skin, “Please no more.” In her peripheral vision, she could see someone circling her slowly; his boots on the stone and her gasps of pain the only sounds in the room. Fear seemed to curl around her heart the longer he circled her like that. And though she tried, she couldn’t seem to turn her head to look properly at him. “What do you want?!”

“Everything,” the man sneered as he circled the bleeding woman on the ground in front of him, “Since you have taken all from me, it is only fair. I have enjoyed hearing your screams, they are much more lovelier than that dwarf’s. It’s a shame you weren’t here when he breathed his last. A more pathetic sound could not have been uttered before in this world.” He tightened his grip on the sjambok in his hand and he moved to stand in front of her, using the end of the bloodied wood to lift her face towards his. “He isn’t here anymore to protect you. You are all mine now.”

The blood in her veins seemed to turn to ice as she saw Erimond’s face before her own. No, no no no she couldn’t be here again! She and Varric had escaped, Erimond had been killed in the Fade. But here he was, real and solid and breathing right before her very eyes. “You killed Varric?” she whispered in horror, her heart sinking, thinking of how in the world would she tell Cassandra. “You fucking bastard,” she half-growled, half-sobbed through gritted teeth. She wanted to struggle, to fight back, to escape somehow, but it was useless. “Why?!”

Erimond laughed, “Why? He killed me. What is that saying they have? An eye for an eye?” He tossed the whipping stick aside and withdrew a dagger from his belt, kneeling down in front of her as he tangled his fingers into her blood matted strands of hair. “He really started screaming when I started peeling his skin off, inch by inch. Begged me to stop. It was almost satisfying,” he purred at her, dragging the tip of the knife down the line of her neck, over her breast and paused above her belly. “But with you, I imagine there is so much more begging to be had. A knife thrust at this angle wouldn’t do much to harm you, however, that babe growing right here wouldn’t survive.”

Terror like she’d never known filled her entire being. “NO! Please!” she nearly screamed. She and Cullen wanted their child more than anything in the world, had tried so hard to conceive, she couldn’t bear the thought of losing the baby. “Erimond, please, I’ll tell you anything you want! Just don’t! Please!” she begged, tears streaming down her face. Oh gods, how was she going to get out of this mess? She tried to pull back, to put some space between her belly and the tip of the knife she could feel pressing there. “Not my baby! Please don’t hurt the baby!”

The Tevinter mage just laughed. “Oh, but that’s not the point of this. I don’t have any information that I want from you. All I want from you is your screams, your pleading. I’ll take whatever hope you might have and crush it beneath my boot.” He slowly pressed the knife into her, grinning as she only sobbed and screamed more. “Now you are starting to sound like the dwarf. He sounded so broken when I slit the neck of his beloved. I wonder what he would do if I showed him his whore with child like you. I wonder if it would drive him insane. How is it for you? Can you feel the life force of this babe leaving you?” He twisted the knife to emphasize the last words.

Eyes wide with horror, Lindsey could barely make a sound. The pain in her belly was nothing compared to the pain in her heart. All she could do was gasp soundlessly, frozen in place with sheer disbelief as the squelch of her own blood met her ears. “NOOO!” she howled when she found her voice. She looked down at her abdomen, disbelief and heartbreak and horror crashing through her as Erimond withdrew his knife and her blood poured freely from the wound. “Oh gods no!” she cried, pressing her hands to her belly, trying desperately to stop the bleeding, to undo what had been done. “NO!”

Being on the outside of someone’s nightmare hadn’t been something Cullen had become accustomed to until after Lindsey had been rescued from that horrible mage in the Western Approach. They had, for a time, both made an interesting pair. Though, after Varric had killed Erimond, Lindsey’s nightmares had dwindled off and it was a rare occasion for one of her night terrors to wake him. Yet there he was, sitting up in bed, leaning over his love as he gently shook her shoulders. “Lindsey, my darling, wake up. Please wake up. You’re dreaming!” he urged her.

Lindsey woke with a start, sitting bolt upright and inadvertently knocking Cullen backwards. Her shoulders heaved with every breath, a cold sweat all over her body as her hands went to her belly. “What… A dream?” she gasped, disoriented as she looked around, seeing she was in bed with Cullen once again. Tears streamed down her face as she looked at her beloved, seeing the concern in his own eyes. “It… it was so real,” she breathed, still breathless, shaking all over. She drew her knees up and covered her face with her hands as she began to sob. “Oh gods, Cullen. It was so real.”

Cullen held his wife-to-be tightly in his arms, concerned with how much she was shaking. Her nightmares, while intense, had never shaken her this badly before. While he had gone through torture himself, what she had gone through had been very different. What was more, Varric had been by her side through the ordeal. That created a bond between the two that Cullen knew couldn’t be touched by anyone. Anytime that she woke from one of those dreams, it was all he could do to dress her warm and wrap her in a cloak before walking her to Varric’s room. “What happened, love?” 

“It was Erimond,” she gasped, leaning hard into Cullen, trying to calm herself. She wiped at her face, but the tears continued to flow. “But it was different this time. Varric was always there in my dreams before. I was alone this time.” She sniffled and frowned. Something wasn’t right. This wasn’t slipping away like a normal dream would, details going foggy upon waking. This felt more like a memory, every detail painfully clear. “He said he killed Varric, flayed him alive after making him watch as he killed Cassandra.” She finally looked up, her watery eyes meeting Cullen’s. “He knew I was pregnant. He stabbed me,” she said, her hand curling over her belly. “He killed our baby,” she gasped as another sob escaped her. 

Cullen felt the cold trickle of horror wash through him and he covered his hand over Lindsey’s, as if the gesture could protect their child. “I would die before I let him harm you or our child,” he swore, pressing a kiss to her temple. “He’s dead. Varric shot that bastard in the head. There is no coming back from that.” He rocked her gently, remembering everything that she had done for him when he had awoken from one of his nightmares. Torture wasn’t an easy thing to conquer. He knew it was a blessing that she and Varric had each other through such a time, but he desperately wished he could do more for her. “Come on. I’ll pour us a glass of that bottle Dorian gifted us. You can write a letter.”

She nodded, sniffling again, and got out of bed to pull on her clothes against the chill air of their house. “I wish I could talk to him,” she murmured. Not that she couldn’t talk to Cullen, not that he couldn’t understand what she was going through because he very much could, but something about Varric always calmed her after these nightmares. After gathering paper and a quill, she sat down at the table and lit a candle. “I still hate these quills,” she muttered, somehow trying to lighten the mood, but she failed miserably. Her hand shook as she began to write, just as she would if he were there and she could speak to him. “I’m sorry I woke you,” she said softly to Cullen as she wiped her eyes, a few tears splashing onto the paper. 

“Shhh,” Cullen soothed as he corked the bottle and went over to the table, setting the glass in front of her. “I would say that we are more than even in the case. You have been there for me during some of my most darkest nights,” he said firmly as he cupped her cheek before he took a seat opposite of her. “I would be a terrible husband if I couldn’t return the favor.”  

She managed a small smile for him and turned her face in his hand to kiss his palm. “Thanks, love,” she said softly, then looked down at the paper before her and reached for the glass of wine. She lifted it to her lips, but stopped herself the instant the smell of the alcohol hit her nose. “The fuck am I doing? I can’t drink this,” she scolded herself and set the glass back on the table. She slid it to him. “You drink it for me.” She sighed and ran a hand through her messy hair. “I’m so out of it, I can’t think straight. I know better than that.”

Cullen winced as he looked down at her glass, picking it up and pouring it into his own. He remembered what she had said about pregnancy and alcohol. “Andraste preserve me, I’ll have to travel to Val Royeaux for those little cakes instead of wine for you while you are with child, won’t I?” he said as he drank deeply from his cup for a moment, then stood once more and went to one of the glass bottles of water he had stored and poured a fresh glass before returning to the table. Even the mabari could sense something was wrong and went to lay his head on Lindsey’s knee. 

“That’s a long way to travel for cake,” she said, gratefully accepting the glass of cold water. After a long swallow, she finished off her letter to Varric and waited for the ink to dry before she rolled it up. “Still not the same,” she muttered as she sealed it and went to the window. The raven in its cage blinked at her as she opened the door and tied the letter to its leg. “I still don’t know how these birds know where to go, but whatever,” she said and opened the window to release the bird into the night. She gave another sigh and leaned on the sill, staring out at the snow that continued to fall. “I don’t know if I’ll even be able to go back to sleep now.”

Cullen smiled as he watched the bird take off into the night. “Could be the fact that I purchased that raven from Kirkwall and it is flying it’s way home.” He shook his head. “It’s a bit of a mystery for us all,” he admitted, giving the redhead a worried look. “I wish I could be more of a help to you,” he murmured, moving to sit in her vacated chair, reaching up to pull her gently down onto his lap., “If you needed to, I could arrange a trip to Kirkwall.”

She sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder. “No, it’s alright. We just got settled here,” she said. “I don’t want to leave already. Hopefully Varric will write back.” She pulled back and looked at him. “You do help me. You understand this better than anyone. I know you still have nightmares too.” She paused and gave a bitter laugh. “We really are a pair, aren’t we? Can you imagine - AGH!” Lindsey cried out with a startled scream as something black, cold, and wet slammed into the side of her head and immediately became tangled in her hair, squawking and flapping its wings.  

Cullen’s eyes went wide and he only pulled back from his love for a moment before he realized that the raven had turned tail and come back into the house. The notion had him laughing as he reached out and untangled the cold, wet bird from Lindsey’s hair. “Ah, forgive me, darling. That was amusing. To think that he didn’t want to deliver the letter in this mess hardly surprises me,” he joked with her, but paused the next moment as his eyes went to the parchment tied on the raven’s leg. The opposite leg he was certain Lindsey had tied her notice on. “Wait a moment,” he muttered and freed the note. 

“Stupid fucking bird!” she shouted at it as it sat on the windowsill. She pushed her hair out of her face, feeling shaken and thinking that she didn’t need to be startled like that after the night she’d had. “Congratulations. You bought the retarded raven,” she grumbled, but paused when she saw the note in Cullen’s hand. “That’s not the letter I wrote.” She glanced over at the raven still sitting on the sill. “That’s not the same bird.” She looked to her fiance again; the look on his face concerned her. “Cullen, what is it?”


	4. Chapter 4

**Earlier that same night:**

Varric sat up straight, the covers around him falling to his waist as he panted, tears streaming down his face. He searched the darkness for his tormenter and let out a sigh of relief as he found nothing in the shadows of his room at the Hanged Man. He reached up, wiping the tears from his face before covering his mouth with the same hand as he thought about what he had seen. It had been real. So real. He could taste the copper of blood on his tongue, feel the panic in his heart. His eyes darted to his side, Cassandra whole and untouched by his side, still sleeping away. He swallowed thickly and reached out to gently touch her neck. 

Cassandra blinked awake at Varric’s touch. It was still dark, far too early for either of them to get up. Especially him, he usually liked to sleep late. “Varric?” she asked softly, concerned that he would wake her at this hour. “Is something wrong?” She sat up in the bed, a frown crossing her face to see the look of horror in his eyes. She sat up and placed a hand on his back, trying to rub comfortingly at him. She could feel him shaking. “Are you crying? Varric, tell me what happened,” she said, alarm growing in her by the moment. 

He bit his lip, taking comfort from Cassandra as she rubbed his back. He leaned into her touch, his mind tumbling over what had just happened. “Just a memory invading on my sleep,” he murmured and then he wanted to kick himself. The lie tasted bitter in his mouth and he knew that he swore to Cassandra he’d stop the lies. “Not a memory, something else. It felt like a goddamn memory though. It was so real.” He swallowed harshly, looking up at Cassandra’s worried eyes. 

“It was Erimond. I was back in that Maker damned fortress. The bastard’s dead and still causing me grief,” he grit out as his thoughts went to Lindsey and he felt a pang of loss that he couldn’t go talk to his friend about what had happened. It disturbed him to no end that she hadn’t been there. He was glad, but having her with him would have eased the burden. He reached up and pushed his disheveled hair out of his face before he shakily reached to the nightstand, grabbing up his hair tie. He paused a moment, running his hand over his bare arm. He shuddered at the memory of the madman cutting off his skin. “Shit, Cassandra. What’s wrong with me?”

“You had a dream?” she asked, blinking her eyes in confusion. “But the only time you’ve ever been able to do that was when you intentionally tried. And that was with magical help. I do not understand how this is even possible.” She ran a hand through her short hair, sighing as she scratched at her scalp. Something about him dreaming bothered her. It just seemed so out of the blue, for a dwarf to suddenly be able to dream, and for that dream to be a nightmare. She watched him for a long moment as if she would be able to see what was wrong just by staring. “What happened in your dream?” she finally asked, though she wasn’t certain she really wanted to know. The knowledge of what had actually happened to Varric at the hands of Erimond was enough to haunt her as it was. “Are you alright?”

A dream? Was that what it was? Varric felt uneasy at the thought that he had an actual dream on his own without the aid of a pouch of magic herbs or whatever that shit was the first time around. He looked over at the Seeker, reaching out to thread his fingers with hers. “He tortured me again. Lindsey wasn’t there, but you were. He...” He trailed off and closed his eyes at the memory of the knife sliding along her neck, blood spilling down her skin like silk, “killed you and made me watch. I couldn’t move. Couldn’t do a damned thing to stop him. Shit.” He wiped at his face again with his free hand. “Dwarves don’t dream. This isn’t right.”

Cassandra curled her fingers tighter around Varric’s hand. “Perhaps because you were able to dream the one time before, now you have… opened your mind to it?” she said, though she frowned at herself as soon as the words left her mouth. It sounded like a silly theory already and she wasn’t very good at putting her thoughts into words. She huffed. “I just meant since you’ve done it before, perhaps now you will be able to do it all the time. Though that does not explain why this hasn’t happened sooner. That was months ago when we visited the Fade. I wish…” she trailed off with a long sigh, “I wish there was someone you could talk to. Someone who understands this sort of thing better than I.”

Varric shuddered at the thought. “Maker’s tits, I hope I haven’t opened my mind to it. My memories are bad enough, now I get to dream up more shitty stuff to happen to me?” He groaned and pressed a hand to his eyes before he looked to her again. “You have nothing to apologize for. You have no idea what a comfort you are to have at my side.” He lifted her hand, pressing a kiss to her fingers. “But shit, I don’t think I’m going back to sleep anytime soon.” His mind drifted to Lindsey again. “I think I need a cold ale and I’m going to write a letter. Maybe Freckles knows what’s going on.”

“It is too bad she isn’t close enough to speak with any more,” Cassandra said. She knew she would see them all again some day, but it really had been convenient at Skyhold to always have everyone so close. She squeezed his hand again, then released him so he could write that letter. “Is there anything I can do?” she asked, her voice smaller than she would have cared for it to be. She didn’t like seeing him so bothered and her unable to help him. Feeling useless never sat well with her.

Varric thought over her question as he swung his legs over the side of the bed and got up. He moved over to her side, leaning down to press a kiss to her lips, drawing comfort from her presence. “You do more than enough. Though, maybe tomorrow I might have you wear me out so much that I can’t have any of these crazy dreams. I’ll never hear the end of it if I forgot how to dwarf,” he muttered as he pulled back from her, pulling the covers up to her chin. “At least one of us should get some rest.”

“How to dwarf,” she repeated back to him, a slight laugh in her voice though she threw him a disapproving look at the same time. “Sometimes I think you spent far too much time with Sera. That sounds like something she would say.” She laid back and allowed him to tuck her in. “Try not to stay up too late,” she said softly, reaching out to catch his hand so she could kiss his knuckles. 

Varric smiled at her, cupping her cheek a moment as he reassured himself she was really still there and he wasn’t still dreaming. “You know me,” he teased before he turned and headed into the other part of his room, pausing to toss another log onto the dying fire and went to his writing supplies before he sank down into his chair. He dipped his quill into the ink pot a moment, thinking over how to phrase his letter. He didn’t want Lindsey to worry, not in her delicate state. He breathed out and started writing; he’d send his letter and then get a stiff drink. Hopefully it would help him sleep dreamlessly. 

Dawn was barely turning the sky grey when Varric woke with a start to an unfamiliar noise. He groaned and lifted a hand to his face, rubbing at his temples. It was too early for him to even think about getting up and after the night he had. He wanted to sleep for a good long while without dreams. Thankfully, he couldn’t remember anything after he had gone to bed the second time. He rolled over, draping an arm around Cassandra as he heard the tapping noise that woke him in the first place. “Ugh, it’s too early for this shit,” he muttered against her warm skin. 

“Mmph,” Cassandra groaned. She blinked awake and looked over at the window, her eyes widening at the sight of the raven perched there. With a yawn, she got out of bed, opened the window, and took the letter attached to the bird’s leg. “Is this…? It can’t be from Lindsey already, surely,” she said as she handed it to Varric. She sat down on the bed, curious to see what the message was. “You just sent that letter last night.”

It took Varric some effort to push himself up, sitting against the headboard as he took the letter from Cassandra, but he smirked the next second and tugged her back into bed with him, leaning against her as he opened up the roll of paper. “Probably from Sparkler asking for cocoa again or those fancy bath soaps he is so fond…” He trailed off as he glanced over the letter, Lindsey’s handwriting so obvious to him. “It’s from Lindsey,” he said, the words like lead in his mouth as he did. He expected a letter in a few days, not a few hours. Which meant she had sent this raven a few hours after he sent his. He did the math in his head quickly and knew that his raven would have just arrived at the time she sent this. “Shit,” he muttered and read it over.

Cassandra didn’t like the look in Varric’s eyes or the tone of his voice. “What is it?” she asked, tipping her head curiously. At first, she thought to say that perhaps Lindsey and Cullen just wanted to write to them to keep in touch and that the timing was mere coincidence, but the expression on Varric’s face told her otherwise. “Varric,” she said sternly, “What is going on?” She didn’t mean to be harsh, but it drove her nuts when he knew something that she didn’t. And something felt ominous about this. She crossed her arms and stared at him, waiting for him to answer.

Varric swallowed thickly, a chill working its way down his spine as he read over the words on the parchment. “It’s not a reply to the letter I sent,” he said honestly, looking over to the love of his life. He felt helpless in that moment. That he couldn’t even control what was happening to him any more. What chances did he have of protecting that which he held the most dear to his heart? “She had a nightmare too. About that bastard Erimond.” He closed his eyes, looking back to the words on the page a moment later. “Tell me this is normal. Tell me that humans share dreams all the time. That they have the same dream.”

“Share dreams?” she asked, reaching for the letter and taking it when he let go. Her eyes scanned over it, her mouth opening as she read what Lindsey had written. “This… this doesn’t make any sense. The Erimond in her dream told her what you dreamed about? What in Andraste’s name does this mean?” She let go of the letter as if it were about to bite her. “Varric, the only time I have heard of such things was when it was intentional on both parts. Like when we visited their grandmother in the Fade. I have never heard of something like this.” She dragged a hand down her face. “Maker’s breath. I do not know what this could mean.”

He had been afraid of that. “Shit. I wonder if there is some connection. Those fucking lyrium necklaces he made us wear or something like that. Hell, even what Solas was saying about our world and theirs colliding. Who knows?” He leaned his head back against the headboard. “I don’t need this. There’s so much work to be done. A life with you, the city to rebuild, I don’t need the world collapsing and demons sprouting up everywhere.” He looked at the letter where it fell on the bed. “Shit. Should I write back, or do you think she will when she gets my letter?”

“I imagine she’ll write back when she gets your letter,” she answered. She frowned sympathetically and moved to sit closer to him. “I’m certain there is a logical explanation for all of this. Perhaps if we contacted Solas, he might be able to explain it better,” she said, trying to reason it all out, to make sense of it. There had to be a better explanation. A sudden flapping of wings made her gasp as a second raven flew through the window and landed on the bed. “Is that the raven you sent last night?”

Contacting Solas wouldn’t be a bad idea, Varric thought and made a mental note to contact the mage later on that day, but the raven that suddenly landed on the bed took the attention. “What the hell?” he growled and reached out to take the raven in his hands, “Shit, this poor thing feels like he’s been flying all night. I hate to ask, but maybe you could go downstairs and see if they have an extra loaf of bread leftover for these guys?”

Trying not to roll her eyes, and failing, Cassandra got out of bed with a huff. “Breakfast for the birds before we even get any ourselves,” she muttered and started to get dressed. Honestly, the last thing on her mind was fetching crumbs for these birds when there were much more pressing matters to be dealt with. She tromped down the stairs, still trying to figure it all out, wishing harder than ever that they were still back at Skyhold so they could discuss this at length with Solas. She snagged a stale loaf of bread from the kitchen, then stomped back up the stairs, and tore it into pieces on the windowsill for the birds. “There. They’ve been fed. Now what does this new letter say?”

Varric would have to remember to send down to the chef something special and covered in roses for the Seeker later. “Well, if you’d been flying all night, wouldn’t you want your host to give you a hot meal when you first arrived?” he countered before he looked at the letter again, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Lindsey wrote me first and then received the letter I wrote her.”

He paused, worrying his lip for a moment before he looked towards the Seeker, “She wants me to visit her in the Fade tonight, at her grandmother’s place. Where I went for the very first time I dreamt. I’m not sure if this is going to make it better or worse.” He thought over the situation. “There is no way that it can get better. I’m sure of it. No dwarf has a dream and is glad of it.”

“I think you should do it,” Cassandra said. “Their grandmother knows things, perhaps she could explain this as well as, if not better than Solas. There is still a chance that this is all just a big coincidence. If she could explain that, I think it would put your mind at ease.” Part of her just did not want to believe that their dreams could be truly connected, that something stranger was going on here. “Or maybe she could tell you how to make the dreams stop.”

“Would you come with me?” he asked before he could even think about the request. Since meeting the sisters, he couldn’t think of doing anything without Cassandra at his side. He pressed his lips together, remembering when Dot, the girl’s grandmother, had rescued him from the river.

A soft smile pulled at her lips as she sat on the bed and reached for him, her fingers curling around the back of his neck. “Of course,” she answered and pressed a firm kiss to his lips. “I would not make you do this alone. If you want me at your side, then I will be there. And we will get to the bottom of this. I promise.”

* * *

 

The rest of the day seemed to drag on and on. The lack of good sleep with the dread of what might come that night made the day difficult. On top of all that shit, trying to get someone to answer him from the Viscount’s office was getting ridiculous. He needed a few special permissions from the higher ups in the city so he could get more homes rebuilt in Lowtown. Between that and trying to coordinate with the Merchant’s Guild, Varric was ready to tear his hair out. 

As it was, by the time that it came to lay down for the night, Varric almost was ready to just stay up the whole night. Dreams were no place for dwarves, he was certain. He looked at the bed as he stripped off his tunic, a pained expression on his face. What he would give to have a sleepless night. He knew that Lindsey needed him, needed to talk about what he had seen. If anyone could tell them what was going on, it would be Dot. “Just for the record, I’m not a fan of this.”

“Neither am I,” Cassandra admitted, settling on her side in the bed. She watched him for a moment, her head starting to ache from trying to figure out what was going on with him. When he got into the bed, she moved to drape her arm over his chest, snuggling into his side. “Just remember, no matter what happens in our dreams, I am with you. And nothing in our dreams can hurt us. Not really,” she said softly, hugging herself tightly to his side. 

Varric took comfort from her weight at his side and he turned his head, pressing his face into her hair for a moment. “If only that were true. I’m not sure if we can trust anything we once knew. If the world really is going to shit, who knows what could happen.” He kissed the top of her head before he turned and looked up at the ceiling. “Can’t believe I’m going to actively try to dream again. I must be out of my mind. How does this work again?” He let his arm up up over her shoulders, holding her tightly to him.

Cassandra chewed the inside of her cheek as she tried to remember. “Didn’t you just keep thinking the same thing over and over the last time we did this? Like ‘I will dream tonight’ or something like that? I do not remember all the instructions,” she said with a frown, thinking Lindsey could’ve at least sent them a reminder how to do it. “Just think about that house over and over while you’re trying to fall asleep. And if it doesn’t work, we’ll write her another letter tomorrow.”


	5. Chapter 5

It seemed as if it took her forever to fall asleep, but finally Cassandra felt herself drifting off and the next moment, she found herself standing before the large Victorian house. But it wasn’t as she remembered. Cold rain fell in sheets from the black, rolling clouds overhead, stinging her skin as the wind whipped and thunder rumbled. The vines that grew on the front porch were overgrown and snarled, giving the home an almost ominous feel. “Varric?!” she called, turning on the spot as she squinted through the dark and the rain. “Damn it.”

Falling asleep was hard and dreaming was even more so. It was as if he were staring at an image that just refused to come into focus. Every time that it did, the dream slipped away. He almost regretted it as soon as he fell into the dream. He was standing on the edge of the cliff, a strong gust of wind blowing the cold sea air around him and his eyes widened as he nearly slipped backwards. “Shit!” he cried out and flung himself forward, sprawling into the grass and mud. “I  _ hate _ dreaming,” he ground out, peering through the storm to see Cassandra standing a few feet away.

“Finally!” Cassandra cried, already soaked to the bone in just a matter of moments as she waited. She hurried over to Varric and pulled him to stand. “Let’s get out of this storm!” She took his hand and ran through the yard, splashing through puddles, before reaching the relative safety of the covered porch. A violent shiver shook her shoulders as she looked down at him. “I was starting to think you weren’t coming,” she said, pushing his wet, windswept hair out of his face for him. 

Varric held Cassandra in his arms as the stood on the porch, not a dry spot on either of them. He leaned into her touch, closing his eyes as her fingers slid through the wet strands of his hair. “Didn’t think I’d make it either, it kept slipping away from me. I’m not supposed to do this, you know,” he reminded her and gave her a gentle squeeze before he looked back out over the darkened yard, a bad feeling creeping up his spine. “This place has seen better days. What happened to the sunshine?”

“It’s been this way for quite some time.”

Cassandra gave a start and turned to see the old woman standing in the doorway. Though outside it was gloomy, she could still feel a warmth from the inside of the house and that made her relax at least a little bit.

Gramma stepped out onto the porch, pulling her beaded shawl tighter around her shoulders as she looked up at the sky. A frown crossed her lips. “Nothing I’ve done has been able to stop this storm,” she said, speaking more to herself than to them. She gave a small, disappointed sigh, then turned to the couple on her porch and offered them a smile. She hadn’t seen either of them, not since she’d managed to manifest in Thedas long enough to get Varric back on his feet after Skyhold fell. “I knew you’d find her,” she said. “Now come inside. This rain is miserable.”

Varric remembered the waterfall all too clearly in his mind and the tumble he had taken into it. “Well, I had some help. If you hadn’t been there to save my sorry ass, the only thing I would have found was the Maker,” he said as he slipped his arm around Cassandra and followed the old woman into the house. It felt as comforting as the day they traveled to the other world and stepped foot inside of it. “It was a nice trick you did with the food as well.”

“I thought it was a nice touch,” Gramma said, a satisfied little smirk on her lips as she led the way to the kitchen. As always, there was a large pot of Italian soup on the stove and fresh bread set in baskets on the table. “Lindsey isn’t here yet. She’s trying too hard to fall asleep and it isn’t working,” she said, almost chuckling at her granddaughter’s frustration. “Sit down. She’ll be here soon.”

Varric pulled out a chair for Cassandra first, watching as Gramma went to the stove and stirred the pot. His stomach growled despite the dire situation that had brought them to her house in the Fade. “Hawke still causing trouble around here?” he asked, his eyes darting around for any sign of his friend, “Or is he sleeping in the Fade? Fairly sure that’s some form of inception.”

“He’s lurking around upstairs somewhere. He’s almost as fascinated with the hot showers as Dorian is,” Gramma answered. 

Varric chuckled and sat down next to Cassandra. “Yeah, that sounds like Hawke.” He leaned against the table, his hand finding Cassandra’s under the table as he stroked his thumb over the back of her knuckles, “So, I’d hate to start this without Freckles, but I’m guessing you know why we’re here. Some weird shit, weirder than normal is going on. Dwarves shouldn’t be able to dream, let alone share a dream with a human who is miles and miles away.” He ran a hand through his hair, “And a dream about that bastard on top of it all.”

A deep frown crossed Gramma’s lips and she didn’t answer him for a long moment. She heard the front door open and slam shut again, and without turning around she said, “About time you got here.” She barely paid any attention to Lindsey’s muttered apology; she was too deep in thought. “Strange things are happening everywhere,” Gramma said as she stirred the soup. “You’re not the only dwarf that has started to dream. The Veil between your world and the Fade is becoming weaker. More and more magic is starting to trickle through. It’s starting to affect people.” She carried bowls of soup over to the table for them. “It’s only going to get worse.”

Varric stood up when Lindsey appeared in the kitchen, wordlessly going over to her to draw her into his arms. He hugged her tightly, swallowing thickly as the dream flashed in front of his mind’s eye over again. “Shit, girl. I didn’t think about you moving far away would have given me second thoughts about buying land in Honnleath,” he muttered and pulled back, holding onto her arms as he peered up at her, “You okay?”

Lindsey nodded, a relief filling her just to be able to be this close to her friend again. “Better now,” she answered. All day long, the only thing she thought of was being able to talk to him, to see him just like they had at Skyhold. Hastily, she wiped at the tears in her eyes. “Hormones,” she muttered. “Apparently they fuck with me even in the Fade.” She managed a small laugh as she composed herself, then hugged him tightly again. “I missed you,” she said before she finally moved to sit at the table. She ran a hand through her hair, trying to sort out her thoughts. “I couldn’t believe your letter when I got it,” she said. “I’ve been trying to figure this out all day long.”

“No shit,” Varric agreed as he sat down next to Cassandra, breathing in the comforting scent of the soup before he picked up his spoon and began to eat. It still amazed him how they could do it in the Fade and still feel like everything was tangible, that he was actually eating. He pushed the thoughts from his mind and just concentrated on the spicy soup; he had done too much thinking as of late. “Reading your letter was more than unsettling, hearing that you knew exactly what I went through in detail? I mean. We are sure that this bastard is dead, right? The dreams are just a coincidence?”

“I don’t believe in coincidence,” Gramma said before Lindsey could answer. She sat down at the table and sighed through her nose as she thought over her words. “Something isn’t right. The Veil between your world and the Fade is starting to fail. And the barrier that separates Thedas from the other world is weakening. Your friends aren’t the only ones that have been ‘pulled through’ from either world.” Another frustrated huff escaped her. “I don’t know why and I don’t know how to fix it. And that infuriates me.”

Something about that unsettled Lindsey more than she would care to admit. “But you always know everything about everything,” she protested. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Sometimes Gramma would feign ignorance just because she didn’t want to upset whatever forces were at play. But Lindsey’s eyes widened the next moment when she saw genuine frustration on her grandmother’s face. “Oh shit,” she breathed and looked down at her soup. “Maybe I should have sent a letter to Jen. Asked her and Solas to meet us here tonight, too. He knows more about the Fade than anyone.”

“And he’s the one who created the damned Veil,” Varric added. 

“What matters now is the fact that the Veil is going to fail regardless of what anyone does,” Gramma said. “Like it or not, your world is about to change. If you’re lucky, Solas will be able to find a way to bring it down with as little damage done to your world as possible. I don’t know when it will happen. I doubt even he knows for certain at this point. I haven’t spoken to him or Jennifer in quite some time.” She paused to light one of her cigarettes, taking a long draw of the fragrant smoke. “But the matter of this dream, I’m not certain yet what to make of that.”

Varric nodded, trying to push the thought of Solas out of his mind. The nightmare he had was the main reason they were there. “I just hate to think that these things are connected, because if they are, we’re in for one hell of ride.” He chewed on a piece of potato a moment before he looked over to Lindsey, seeing the distant look in her eyes, the worry there, “I didn’t even see you in my dream and you didn’t see me. The only thing that stayed the same was that bastard Erimond.”

Lindsey nodded. “Every other time, when I dreamed about it before, you were always there,” she said. “Not that I wanted you to get hurt, but at least when we were there, you were with me. Kept me from losing my mind. In my dreams, even though it was a nightmare, you being in my dream somehow always helped too. But this time, I was alone.” She frowned and covered her belly with her hand again. “And it wasn’t just a dream of what happened in the past. The Erimond in my dream knew about what was happening now. I know, I know, maybe it was my mind making it all up, but it really doesn’t seem that way.”

“Sounds like the whole world is going to shit,” Hawke said loudly as he came into the kitchen, rubbing at his wet hair with a towel before he came to stand next to Varric at the table. “That’s like a regular Tuesday afternoon for us back in the day, wouldn’t you say, Varric?” he said, clapping at hand to the man’s shoulder. His dear friend had been through enough shit as it was. Watching him nearly die when he fell into the waterfall, then bandits trying to eat him... “You do the hero scene very well.”

Varric snorted at that, giving him a halfhearted smile. “Part of the reasons I don’t like doing it very much. Nothing ever stays normal or safe for the hero. Someone is always trying to kill him or her.” He pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to think over the dream. Erimond hadn’t mentioned Lindsey, just the Fade and when he had killed him. Then conjured Cassandra to torment him. 

“It wasn’t normal or safe to begin with,” Cassandra said, finally pushing her empty bowl away from her. “But I agree. Ever since we first got pulled through the rift, things have just gotten stranger and stranger. We can only hope that one day things might settle down.” She placed her hand on Varric’s knee, giving him a comforting squeeze. “One day.”

Lindsey poked a piece of sausage around the bowl with the end of her breadstick. “Do you think maybe it was a demon screwing with us in our dreams? It couldn’t be Erimond. You killed him, Varric. But a demon could be impersonating Erimond because that’s what messes with our heads so badly. I know the demons fuck with Cullen in his nightmares…” She stopped herself, her face turning a bit red, and immediately felt guilty. She knew Cullen liked to keep such things private. Clearing her throat, she sat up a little straighter. “Anyway, my point is it could just be a demon trying to get to us.”

Hawke frowned and moved to sit down next to Lindsey, draping the towel over his shoulder before he reached for a breadstick. “Call me crazy on this, but demon’s don’t usually single out two people alone. I mean, perhaps this demon has gone after others, but the fact that this demon sought out the two of you?” He frowned and looked to them both, his eyes meeting Varric’s. “Okay, so that spirit or whatever that was of the Divine did seem to have one purpose in mind. Though, if that’s the case, I shudder to think what sort of monster was created when you killed Erimond.”

“It could be his spirit lingering here in the Fade,” Gramma agreed. “I’m here, aren’t I? What’s to say he isn’t still lurking around, trying to torment you further? You know he would want revenge for you killing him.” She took another long drag and exhaled the smoke slowly. Oh, this bothered her. Not being able to see what was coming, to at least have a general sense of what the future held. “If it is Erimond, at least in spirit, I fear what he may be trying to do.”

Varric swallowed at that, a lump of ice seeming to form in the pit of his stomach at the thought. “Well, I don’t think I’ll be sleeping for an age and a day now that I’ve heard this. Good work everyone,” he muttered and rubbed a hand over his eyes. He didn’t like dreaming. It wasn’t restful, not when he had all of this extra shit to deal with. “It’s bad enough that some how I am able to dream. It’s worse that it might be connected to the whole barrier between worlds crumbling to pieces, and it is absolute bullshit that some crazed Tevinter mage might have manifested to continue what he started.”

Gramma quirked an eyebrow at him. “Would you rather be completely in the dark about it? Not knowing what to expect, how it could be happening? At least this way, you can anticipate what may happen. Mentally prepare yourself. Try to fight back.” She paused and crushed out her cigarette, then rose from the table. “I may have something to help you. Give me a moment,” she said and strode from the room, her long black and silver hair whipping behind her.

“It’s going to be okay,” Cassandra whispered, leaning her forehead against Varric’s temple. “Whatever this is, whatever is going on, we will handle it. We always do. As long as we’re together, we can face anything.” She pressed a kiss to his cheek, rubbing her thumb over his knee. It bothered her to see him so shaken.

Varric nodded, leaning against her as he looked around the table, the grim expressions on their faces. “I’d prefer something I can fight back against. Physically. In the dream, I couldn’t even move. It was like I was frozen in place unable to do anything. I didn’t feel in control of my own body.” He swallowed and shook his head. “I hope you are right, Cass.”

“Gramma will fix it,” Lindsey said with a nod, trying to sound more confident than she felt. Gramma not knowing what was happening or how to stop it made her feel uneasy, like somehow the whole world was suddenly backwards from how it was supposed to be. There had to be something that could be done. And if there was, Gramma would find it. “I think we need something to take our mind off of it for a bit while Gramma does… whatever it is she’s doing.” Lindsey paused and looked around the kitchen before loudly whispering, “Hawke! Where’d Gramma hide the chocolate cake? I know she’s got some around here somewhere.”

Hawke laughed and stood up, going over to the refrigerator and pulled out a glass covered dish, a few slices of the chocolate cake already missing. “I may have gotten into it earlier, for the third time this week. Watching you run around getting into danger is very stressful, Varric,” he said as he set the cake on the table and went to get plates and more utensils. “And when are the two of you going to have a kid? I’d like to think I’d at least be named for a little one.”

Cassandra had reached for the serving knife to cut a piece of the cake, but it clattered to the table at Hawke’s question. “What?!” Something about the very thought of it seemed to steal her breath away. “No,” she said firmly. She snorted. “The very idea of me as a mother is ludicrous. You cannot be serious, Hawke.” She turned a sharp eye on Varric and the look of amusement on his face. “Don’t you dare start getting any ideas, dwarf,” she warned, gritting her teeth. 

If there was something about the topic, Cassandra’s familiar scowl on her face that had a sense of safety and security. He relaxed into the easy role. “See, Hawke? She can barely put up with me, just imagine if there were two of us.” He laughed as he thought about it, “or a little Seeker ready to order me around.” He looked to the warrior again, studying her for a moment. He could imagine a little child, golden skin with dark hair, his eyes, her cheekbones. “Well, it’s not the worst thought I could come up with,” he said softly.  

The soft way he said the last line, as if he would seriously consider having children with her, made her stomach drop painfully. They weren’t seriously having this conversation, were they? And now of all times? She all but snatched the plates out of Hawke’s hands when he brought them to the table. “Look what you’ve started,” she hissed at him, and quickly served Varric a piece of the cake, hoping that eating would keep him from talking anymore about it.

Lindsey couldn’t contain her laughter. “Don’t worry, Cass. When I have my baby, I’ll come visit and make Varric watch it for the day. He’ll forget all about wanting one of his own. It’s like guaranteed birth control,” she said, and grinned brightly when Cassandra slid her an extra large slice of the cake. “Yum! Baby demands cake!” she said and popped a large bite in her mouth.

Hawke chuckled and sat back down. “I blame Dot. She’s has been counting down the days until you have your child. I think she’s been slipping away periodically to visit Olivia as well at night.” He grinned as he tucked into his piece of cake, “What can I say? Baby fever is contagious.” 

“No. No it isn’t,” Cassandra said flatly as Gramma came back into the kitchen, a basket in her hands. “I have no desire to become a mother. Besides, I would be terrible at it,” she said, her nose slightly in the air, and she popped a bite of chocolate cake into her mouth with finality.

“Tell that to the little one growing in your belly,” Gramma said as she sat down at the table.

Cassandra gasped and choked on her cake, her hands flying to her flat stomach, and Gramma threw her head back with a loud cackle. 

“Oh my dear Cassandra, you are far too easy to get to!” Gramma chortled, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes as Cassandra scowled and cursed under her breath. “I’m sorry, that was cruel of me. But you should have seen the look on your face.” Still chuckling, she started pulling out stone beads and feathers, long thin strips of leather from the basket. “You lot finish your cake and go get some fresh air on the porch. The rain shouldn’t bother you. This will take me a while.”

Varric started for a moment, his heart stopping at the first words that came out of Dot’s mouth. His eyes flickered to Cassandra before he realized the joke and he threw his head back and laughed, “Shit, Dot. You had me going there!” He smirked, seeing the look on Cassandra’s face, the blush that covered her cheekbones and nose. He shook his head and started eating again. “I can see where the girls get their humor.”

“It - was - not - funny!” Cassandra cried, slapping Varric’s shoulder with every word. She pressed her lips to a thin line as all he did was continue to eat his cake, snickering. “Ugh,” she huffed in disgust and forked up the last of her cake, then stood to take the empty plate to the sink. “I do not need a child. I have you,” she growled and kicked his leg as she walked by. “I’m going to go get that fresh air before I stab someone.”

Hawke chuckled and watched as Varric flinched from her as his shin was kicked, but he just smiled and watched her go out onto the porch. “Got your hands full with that one, my friend.” He stood up and stretched. “I’ll go have a talk with her. I don’t think I’ve had an extended conversation with the wife to be of my best friend. I’m a terrible best man.” He grinned at the alarmed look on Varric’s face, but waved him off. “No worries. No embarrassing stories. Not many at least.”

Cassandra glanced over her shoulder when she heard the screen door slam. “Oh, it’s you,” she muttered, crossing her arms and leaning her elbows on the porch railing. The damp air was refreshing, erasing the heated blush that had crossed her face inside. “I thought my heart stopped for a moment,” she admitted, still feeling it bang against her ribs and her stomach still slightly nervous. “If you came out here to calm me down, you don’t have to. I’m not that mad, not really.”

Hawke chuckled and moved to sit on the railing next to her, tucking a leg under him while his other kept balance on the ground. “Nah, good to keep Varric on his toes. Besides, he wasn’t worried and he can read people well. If he wasn’t worried that he pissed you off, I’m not going to split hairs.” He grinned, studying her for a moment. “Not that it’s any of my business, but would it be so bad?” 

Cassandra let out a sharp laugh. “Me? A mother?” She shook her head. The humor faded from her face as she thought about it for a moment. “I suppose if it happened, Varric and I would… handle it. Intentionally having a child? I am not so sure. I think there are enough babies around at the moment anyway, don’t you? Solas and Jennifer have Olivia. Lindsey and Cullen are expecting. I don’t think I need to throw myself into the mix.” Another snort escaped her. “If I am to be completely honest, I think bringing a child into this world right now is irresponsible. We do not know what is happening to our world. I cannot imagine having to care for an infant during all this uncertainty.”

Hawke smiled at her. “Perhaps you are right, anyone who thinks that having a child that they will ‘handle it’...” He trailed off, the smile on his face growing at the look she gave him and he held up his hands. “But you are right about the world. Who knows what’s going to happen next? When the Veil comes down, some sort of hell is going to break loose. You’ll be ready for that, I know you will. You and Varric will keep each other safe. Just keep in mind that it won’t be that way forever.” 

“And even if the world was fixed, we had a time of peace, and I still did not want a child?” she asked, not wanting to argue with Hawke, but feeling an irritation growing in her all the same. “Does it mean there is something wrong with me because I do not feel some overwhelming urge to be a mother? Yes, a woman’s life cannot possibly be fulfilling if she does not reproduce.” She looked out over the yard again, listening to the thunder and the rain for a moment. “Forgive me, Hawke. I know you mean well. But I have heard this so much over my life that it grates on my nerves. People telling me that I will regret not having children. Why can I not just be happy with Varric?”

The man smiled at that, hearing her speak so passionately. “You can. I know Varric will do everything in his power to make you the happiest woman alive, as I know you will do the same for him. In the end, that’s all that matters. It’s a conversation you need to have with him. He’s a bit stubborn when it comes to saying what he wants. Whatever it is, I know he just deserves a happy ending, like in one of those fairy tales. You and him have been through enough shit as it is. Do what makes you happy for you and never for someone else. We outsiders just want to make sure that you’ve thought about all your options.” He winked at her.

A smile pulled at her lips. “Perhaps it is time to talk with him about it,” she said. “It is a conversation we have not had yet.” She stood up straighter and turned to him. “Thank you, Hawke, for not pushing the issue. I apologize if I came across as harsh. I never learned how to rein it in like most do.” 

He grinned and reached over, giving her shoulder a firm squeeze. “Don’t ever apologize for being who you are. Varric needs someone like you to cut through his bullshit every once in awhile. You two are good for each other.” He nodded and he ran a hand through his wild hair. “Keep doing what you do best and take care of him for me. Hopefully with the Veil down...” He trailed off at the thought and looked off into the distance, “I’ll be back to help out with whatever will happen.”

“It will be good to have you back,” Cassandra said. “I know Varric still misses you terribly. But I cannot help worrying about what the future will hold if the Veil is destroyed. I pray Solas finds a different solution, to save our world and to bring you back to it.” She looked up as Varric and Lindsey walked out of the house and she moved to put her arms around the dwarf. “Did you two have a chance to speak privately about… everything?”

Varric slipped his arm around Cassandra’s waist, smiling as he looked back to Lindsey. “Yeah, much better that we got a chance to talk it out. Shit, Freckles, I’ll see if I can’t petition the higher ups in Kirkwall to secure you an estate in Hightown so you can visit and possibly stay permanently. I’ll twist your arm somehow. Though, a small cottage out in the middle of some quaint farmland? Maybe I’ll come visit you once Kirkwall is rebuilt.” 

Lindsey grinned at that. “You’ll never convince me and Cullen to move to the city. But I’ll see if I can talk him into visiting soon,” she said, feeling much better now that she’d been able to see Varric, to talk with him just like she used to back at Skyhold. “And you guys are always welcome to come to Honnleath, too.” 

“That went faster than I thought it would,” Gramma said as she walked out onto the porch, looking rather pleased with herself. She placed her hands on her hips, looked out at the roaring storm, and shook her head. Bad things were happening in the Fade; everything was about to change. She could feel it. But she forced a smile and looked at them all again. “I suppose it’s about time for you bunch to wake up. Hopefully you’re dreams will be better from now on.”

Varric shared a look with Lindsey before he looked back to the old woman. “Ah, maybe I missed something, Dot, this being a dream and all. You know us dwarves aren’t very familiar with the whole process, but weren’t you making us something?” He looked behind her, but so no hidden gifts or little trinkets that could have possibly been what she was crafting at the kitchen table. 

Hawke smirked, the corner of his lips pulling up as he saw the mischievous glint in her eye. “Come on now, Varric. You have to know she’s got tricks up her sleeves. I’ve learned not to question anything any more. Especially since coming here and the whole deal with being trapped in such a lovely home. Though, I wish she would share some of those tricks with me.” He sighed, “Still never did get Flemeth to teach me how to turn into a dragon though. I need to work on how I ask for trade secrets.”

Gramma let out a warm, bubbly laugh. “I’d pay good money to see you turn into a dragon,” she said. “Go on now. All of you. You won’t have to worry about your dreams anymore. You’ll see what I mean when you wake up.” She gave each of them a hug, made them promise to come visit her soon, then turned and went back into the house, that smug little smirk on her lips again.

Varric shook his head as he watched the door close behind Dot before he turned back to Hawke, the other man drawing him into a quick hug before he pulled back. “Stay out of trouble, Hawke. And if you do get into trouble, then don’t get caught.” He gave the man a sad smile. “Hopefully will get you back to the other side before too long. I like you, but I don’t know how much more I can take dreaming just to visit you. It really isn’t my thing.”

Hawke chuckled and nodded. “Well, we can’t have that, can we?” he said, watching the three of them fade out, waking up back in their respective homes. He sighed out, looking over the storm for a moment longer before he turned back, going into the house. 

He couldn’t stop the smile that tugged at his lips as he headed into the kitchen, seeing Dot standing at the counter, her back to him. Her long hair was no longer streaked with grey, but now was solid black, her figure just a little slimmer, her posture slightly straighter. He swallowed thickly, wondering over what all was going to happen. He walked up to her, placing his hands on her hips as he leaned his head down onto her shoulder. “So, it is good seeing them again, but it means that I’ll probably be leaving soon. I have to ask, what happens to you once the Veil is torn down?”

Dot let out a heavy sigh as she stared out the window at the raging storm outside. “I don’t know,” she said, turning around to look up at him. A sad smile crossed her lips, her face young once again just as she had appeared to Varric when he’d needed help. “Perhaps I’ll just… pass on.” The thought of it broke her heart, to not see her granddaughters like this anymore, to not see their children. But most of all, to not see Hawke anymore. She hated seeing that look in his eyes. “Don’t look at me like that, Garrett. We both knew the time would come for you to go back to the real world.” 

He frowned at her, leaning his forehead against hers. “There has to be a way. I will find it. I can’t believe that the Maker would call you back to his side just yet. Not when the world needs you and your granddaughters so much.” He closed his eyes, the words catching in his throat. “Not when I just found you. Or you found me. I didn’t think I would find anyone else that I wanted to protect and cherish as much as I do you. I lost everyone, my city destroyed. I’m not letting you go without a fight.”

“We can’t,” she whispered. She drew a long breath through her nose and reached up to cup his cheek, meeting his eyes. “You and I both know that this… it cannot be. No matter how much we both want it. I’m sorry.” It broke her heart to have to say it to him. Again. How many times had they had this conversation? She’d lost count. But it never got any easier, never hurt any less. “We should both get some rest,” she said, leaning up to press a kiss to his cheek. “I have a feeling we’re both going to need our strength in the days ahead.” And with that, she swept from the kitchen before he could call her back and change her mind.


	6. Chapter 6

Cassandra awoke, feeling warm and well rested. A smile spread across her lips as she saw Varric starting to stir, not quite awake yet. Maker, he was so handsome. Her fingers reached out to brush a few pieces of hair from his forehead, trailing through the silky strands. With a contented sigh, she rolled to lay flat on her back, and gave a start when she realized something was dangling above their bed.

It was a perfectly circular hoop about the size of a dinner plate, the edges wrapped with a thin strip of leather that had been wound around it. A web of string created the most fascinating pattern inside the circle, the strands suspending jewel-toned stone beads that glinted and caught the light. And from the bottom hung several large feathers. 

“Varric,” she said, reaching over and shaking his arm. “Look! What is it? Is it from Dot?”

Varric drifted back to the waking world, oddly feeling like he had a decent, dreamless night asleep. His head turned towards Cassandra, looking up to where she pointed and he blinked at the odd looking trinket. “Well I’ll be a nug’s uncle, it looks like Dot really did have something for us.” 

“I’m not certain what it is,” Cassandra said, peering at it. “But it is beautiful. I suppose we are to just leave it where it is?” She’d never seen anything quite like it before. She reached out to touch it, but pulled her hand back before her fingers made contact. There was something powerful about it, something that sent a jolt of warning through her bones that it was not to be touched. She gave a nod as if answering her own question. “Better to leave such things alone.”

Varric pushed himself up, sitting against the headboard while he reached for his glasses on the table next to him. He looked up, carefully considering the odd present. “Shit, this looks so familiar,” he murmured, his eyes looking over each of the beads, “I think I remember seeing something like this the house. I think Freckles called it a dream holder?” He looked to the Seeker, seeing the look on her face. “Hope this works. If I am going to dream, like any strange dwarf, they might as well be good ones.”

“It cannot hurt,” Cassandra said and sat up, scooting closer to him so she could lean against his side. “I should say I’m surprised to see you up so early, but then again, you went to bed before your usual time last night.” She studied him for a moment. He looked much more well rested than he had in quite a while. She leaned in, pressing a hot kiss to his stubbly jaw, her hand sliding along his thigh as a heat pooled low in her belly. “What should we do this morning?” she asked suggestively. “I’m not used to you being awake at this hour.”

Varric let out a soft groan as Cassandra’s hand slid over his thigh, he smirked lazily at her as he pressed a long kiss to her shoulder. “Oh? And what does the Seeker do in the morning when her trusty dwarf is still fast asleep in bed?” He shivered at the thought of her pleasing herself in bed while he slept. “I’m going to be upset that you didn’t wake me if it’s what I think it is.”

Her eyes widened as she caught his suggestion. Of course she didn’t… well, okay, maybe on occasion she did, but it wasn’t as if she did it  _ every  _ morning. What could she say? She was a morning person. But she decided to play along. “Oh? Would that encourage you to get up on time?” she asked as she sat back and pulled her nightshirt over her head. A chill ran down her spine as the cool air hit her skin, her nipples hardening as her breasts tingled. She drew her knees up and let one leg fall to the side to give him a perfect view of her body. Trailing her fingertips down her chest, she teased at her flesh, biting her lip as his eyes hungrily watched her. She gave a soft moan as her fingers lightly pinched her nipple. “See what you miss out on when you waste half the day sleeping?”

His length firmed at the sight in front of him, straining against the small clothes he had worn to bed and he found himself reaching up, taking off his glasses as his eyes swept over the Seeker’s long body. “It might,” he said as he tossed the glasses to the side, not caring where they landed as he watched her touching herself. His own hand drifted down, palming his growing hardness as he turned more on his side to face her. “Shit, I might stay up all night from now on anyway. This is just extra incentive,” he smirked. 

Cassandra’s mouth watered as she watched him touch himself, her center throbbing with anticipation. Her hand trailed lower, her fingers spreading her lips, opening her body up for his view. Her fingertip lightly teased her clit, making her hips shift on the bed as tingles of pleasure spread through her body. “Perhaps I should have offered this to you sooner. Think of all the mornings we could have like this,” she purred as she slid two fingers into her body, the digits glistening as she slowly withdrew them.

Varric’s mouth went dry at the sight and he was fairly certain that in that moment, Cassandra could have beaten him at cards with the look on her face. He barely stifled the moan out of his mouth before he rolled over, pulling her to him so he could crush their lips together as he plundered her mouth. His hands trailed down her arms, following their paths as he cupped her breast and covered the delicate hand between her thighs. He pressed both of their fingers into her slick core and he groaned as he nipped at her lips.

A whimper escaped her as she kissed desperately at his lips. She didn’t know how much longer her patience would hold out, she wanted him so bad in that moment. She rocked her hips, moaning as she took their fingers into her body again and again. “Varric,” she gasped breathlessly, her tongue teasing at his lips as her other hand cupped his firm length and stroked it. “Oh Maker, I want you,” she confessed, another moath escaping her as his strong fingers hit a sensitive spot inside her.

A delicious shiver worked through the dwarf at Cassandra’s admission and he gave a whine as he broke the kiss to pull back from her. He paused only for a moment as he looked around, trying to decide the best way to do this. Ah, the joys of being a dwarf. He tossed the pillows off of the bed and moved to sit up against the headboard as he tugged Cassandra over to him. He helped her swing a long leg over his waist and held his length steady as she sank down over him. “Sweet Andraste’s tits, that’s good,” he breathed as the heat engulfed him and he reached up, trailing his hands over her sweat slicked skin, “Definitely going to have to wake me up in the future.”

A breathless laugh escaped her, and a warm smile spread across her lips. “I will hold you to it,” she warned as she rocked her hips, her body stretching and adjusting to accommodate his thick length inside her. His rough hands sent chills of pleasure through her, making her moan as she moved a little faster over him. “Oh Maker,” she whined again, her body aching deliciously as the pleasure began to build. She tangled her fingers in his hair, tipping his face up so she could claim his lips. “Varric… you’re so good,” she breathed as she writhed in his lap. 

His hands came to rest on her ample hips as he thrust up to meet her movements against him. It was a slice of heaven he couldn’t even begin to describe. He could feel himself drawing up, getting closer and closer to that edge. Just a bit more, he thought to himself as he gave a grunt. “Careful Seeker. My ego is big enough without a lovely lady complimenting me on my technique,” he said, the corners of his lips curling up as he pressed his face into the crook of her neck, “I’m not going to last much longer. You drive me insane.”

“You talk too much, dwarf,” she scolded as she took his face in both of her hands. A thrill shot up her spine when his eyes met hers and she quickly smothered his lips with her own. She moved faster in his lap, rocking her hips and whining as her pleasure built. She was so close… She broke the kiss and bit her lip as her entire body began to tense. “Varric,” she gasped, her voice high and needful. She leaned her forehead against his as she rode him, her toes curling as she slipped over that edge and every nerve in her body was consumed by the pleasure from her orgasm. “Oh Maker,” she breathed, meeting Varric’s eyes again as she began to bounce on him, determined to make him come just as hard as she had.

Varric was mesmerized by the way her body curled around his own as she came, the way a whole body blush bloomed across her skin as she was at the peak of her throes of ecstasy. He felt himself throbbing hard within her and he groaned, moving quickly to roll them over. He hiked one of her long legs over his shoulder as he took control over the situation, pounding into her as he grew closer and closer to that edge. She was like molten silk on his cock and the thought was glorious as he pressed her back into the mattress. He leaned over, catching her lips in a fervent kiss as he came, moaning against her with his eyes scrunched up as he fell over that edge. He shivered as he felt himself empty within her and satisfied, he relaxed against her. “Mmm, Cassandra,” he murmured against her. 

Cassandra was left panting beneath him as she relished in his weight on her. “Perhaps waking you up in the morning is not a good idea,” she mused, staring up at the dreamcatcher that hung over the bed. “I will never accomplish anything if this is how we start our days,” she said with a slight laugh. She trailed her nails up and down his spine, trying to muster the energy to get out of bed, but she just couldn't manage it.

The dwarf grinned, pressing a kiss to her lips as he slid out of her, moving to her side where he pulled her into his arms. “I think we should do this more often. I’ll see what I can do. Maybe I could just stay up until you wake up and then wear you out so you can spend the day in bed with me,” he chuckled, “But I imagine someone would come looking for us eventually.” He looked up at the dreamcatcher above their heads and he sighed. “Shit, still a lot of things to do. That thing will take care of one point of stress. I wonder if it will take care of that stand in Viscount for me. I swear, it’s like trying to talk to a wall.”

She rested her chin on his chest, lightly drawing her fingers through the hair there. “Keep trying,” she encouraged. “And if he will not listen, perhaps there are others that could do something. You are persuasive enough, people like to listen to you talk. Someone will listen to you.” She sighed, a slight frown pulling at her lips. She knew how important this was to him. And it bothered her to see him so frustrated. “You should be the one in charge,” she muttered. “At least you have the drive to get things done. And you care about this city more than most.”

Varric chuckled, “No thanks. You know I like to work on the sidelines, but it would be nice to have someone in charge who actually follows through on their promises.” He groaned and turned his face into her hair. “Let’s not talk about it. I’m trying to convince you to stay in bed with me. It’s before noon, much too early to get out and about,” he said with a smirk, knowing it would never fly with her. It didn’t sit well with him either. If the world was going to shit, he wanted Kirkwall to be on its feet again before the next wave of crazy hit. 

Cassandra groaned and pushed herself up on her elbows. “You know, we could accomplish so much more if you got up earlier,” she said, stretching and trying to convince herself to get out of the bed. He was far too persuasive. It was definitely tempting to just spend the rest of the day curled up in bed with him. With much more effort than it should have taken her, she managed to slide out of bed to go to the wardrobe. “You almost convinced me,” she said, glancing over her shoulder at him and giving him a playful little smile. “Keep practicing. I’m sure you’ll talk me into it eventually.”

He laughed as he pushed himself up, watching her with appreciation. Her hips, the gentle curve of her breasts as she moved, dressing for the day. “Mmm, but if I were Viscount, I could implement a no clothes Tuesday. Specifically just for you and I.” He grinned at the thought and ducked his head as she chucked a boot at him. “Oh, I think I have an idea for that terrible romance you like so much.” He moved and pushed himself out of the bed, going over to stand behind her at the wardrobe. “No clothes Tuesday with the heroine and her love making wild, passionate whatever, wherever they damned well pleased.”

Goosebumps ran up her spine and a small laugh escaped her. “I do rather like the sound of that. The heroine, though? I thought you said the worst stuff always happens to the protagonist. You certain you want to paint me with that brush?” she asked, turning to look at him. She raised her eyebrow accusingly. “Now I think you’re just trying to get rid of me,” she teased. She leaned over and pressed a kiss to his lips before she started to dress. “Though your no-clothes Tuesdays would go well with Bull’s no-pants Fridays.”


	7. Chapter 7

It was the first warm day they’d had in months. Nearly two months of traveling had taken them steadily northward, making even these first days of spring pleasant. “Good day for a dragon hunt,” Bull commented as he walked, leading his horse along behind him. Of course he could have rode, but they’d just picked up from stopping for lunch and he wanted to stretch his legs. He glanced over his shoulder at Dorian, who sat next to Krem on the wagon, Krem driving and Dorian’s nose stuck in a book. “Or, you know, looking for more of those elven artifact whatevers,” he said, seeing the serious expression on Dorian’s face, the way his eyebrows knotted together. “Careful, Kadan, or your face will stick that way.”

Dorian blinked, realizing that Bull was talking to him and he looked up from the passage he was reading. “Hm? You say something, Amatus? I thought for sure you would be too busy scouring the skies for any sign of our next dragon to kill.” He sighed and marked his place in the book, sitting up straighter as he stretched. The warm weather was amazing, so much better than the dismal cold that seemed to permeate all of the South. He sighed and let his eyes drift around the area. “I wish it were easier to find these blasted artifacts. How Solas was able to sense them is beyond me,” he muttered and looked back at the book he had picked up, various locations on mystical artifacts of Thedas. Perhaps better titled about something some idiot found interesting or unusual with no magical theory to back it up. They hadn’t found a single one.  

Krem snorted. “Ah, cheer up, Dorian. Just because the last six locations were all dead ends doesn’t mean that they all are. At least you can say that you’ve found some interesting paperweights.” He grinned and looked over to his fellow countryman. “This next one shouldn’t take us but a little while longer until we reach it. Maybe we’ll even stumble across a dragon and make the Chief happy.”

A smirk pulled at the corner of Bull’s mouth. “That would make a good day even better,” he said, lengthening his stride just a bit, his eye flicking up to look at the sky every so often in hopes of seeing a huge shadow looming above. A disappointed huff escaped him after a while when no dragon appeared. He finally paused and pulled himself up on his horse, looking ahead at the hills that loomed in front of them. He tipped his head slightly as a strange shape on the ridge of one caught his eye. “That what you’re looking for, Kadan?” he asked, pointing ahead.

Dorian followed Bull’s gaze towards the hill, a smile breaking out on his face as he recognized the outline of the elvhen artifact. “Finally. Good eye, Amatus. Here I was beginning to think that they kept all of the artifacts south.” He reached into his robes and withdrew a small leather journal and opened it up to a fresh page to make a note of exactly where they found the magical item. “I should have asked Solas for his tricks on finding the blasted things. This is taking much too long. I’ll have to write him the next time we are in town.”

“Like he’s going to tell you,” Bull muttered. “He likes to keep his secrets. You know that.” Though maybe Solas was changing now that he had Jennifer and their daughter, maybe he would be more honest and open about doing what was right for this world. “Couldn’t hurt to ask him,” he added, feeling as though maybe he’d been a little harsh with Dorian. So much traveling with little time for themselves had left Bull feeling on edge. “I think we should head towards a town after you activate this thing,” he said. “How many more do you think are out there? Solas activated dozens of these things when we were part of the Inquisition. You really think there’s that many more of them left?”

Krem spared the two of them a look as he directed the wagon towards the artifact. He’d noticed that they had been as if someone had gotten their underclothes in a twist. It wasn’t for a lack of sex; Krem shuddered at the memory of them going at it late at night, but it was always over before it hardly began. Something he imagined they did for his benefit and he was grateful, but this tension was getting to be ridiculous. “I hope not. No offense, but there has to be something more useful we can be doing with our time. If the world is coming to an end, we can’t be spending it chasing after wild nugs.” 

The mage snorted. “I agree, by the time we’ve found all of the artifacts, the Veil will have ruptured and then where will we be?” he asked. He had some idea, but he knew that bringing up the fact that they would be swarmed with demons would only put Bull in a worse mood than usual. He’d been in a mood since they left Skyhold, understandable, but enough was enough. Truth be told, he was feeling a bit strung out as well. He missed Skyhold and his little nook in the library. He missed sleeping in some days in Bull’s bedroom. He really missed the all day sex marathons.

Bull wasn’t exactly satisfied with that answer, but he decided to let it go. If this was what his Kadan wanted, then he would go along with it. Besides, there had been plenty of fights along the way to keep him interested. Bandits, a few stray red Templars, a dragon or two. He really couldn’t complain, save for a lack of good ale and good sex. Hushed, hurried fucks in the tent at night really didn’t set well with him. “Let’s deal with this crap and be done with it for a day or two. I could use a stiff drink and a soft bed,” he said, looking over his shoulder at Dorian again, holding the mage’s gaze for a long moment. “I think you could, too.”

Dorian found himself nodding. “A bath would be nice,” he admitted as Krem pulled the wagon to a stop a few feet away from the artifact. The mage stood, stretching his arms above his head for a moment before he hopped down. “One artifact and then we can take a well deserved break at an inn in the next town we come across,” he promised. They had been traveling for what seemed like an age and a half. “I need to write a few letters anyway. Perhaps Solas and Abelas have found something in this time we’ve been apart. Hopefully something for us to do than driving around in circles. I would just loathe to go back down south for it though.” He walked over to the artifact, feeling the light aura of magic radiating off of it. 

A sigh escaped Bull as he waited impatiently for Dorian to activate the artifact. He didn’t mean to be that way, but the promise of ale and a bedroom was more than enticing. An all too familiar crackling sound above his head drew his attention and he looked up, an ominous chill racing down his spine. “Ah… Kadan?” he asked as he dismounted his horse and drew his axe. He could hear Dorian still speaking behind him, the magic working to activate the artifact. Bull took a step back as the green light crackled and a demon slipped through, landing ungracefully on the ground. “Dorian!” he bellowed, gripping the axe as the monster loomed closer. “Shit’s getting weird again!”

The artifact activated with a brilliance Dorian wasn’t familiar with and it was as if the very air around the item rippled. It was lovely until the very air ripped open and demons poured through the tear around the artifact. The mage’s eyes widened and he stumbled backwards as a rage demon swiped a clawed hand through the air, aiming for his head. He managed to duck, cursing at himself as he heard Krem shout his name and he turned just in time to catch his staff as it was thrown towards him. He summoned an ice spell and threw it at the monsters heading for him. “Vishante kaffas!” he swore as one demon got too close and he swung his staff at the beast, a sickening crack filling the air as he smashed its head.

Well, it wasn’t dragons, but Bull supposed it would have to do. He swung the heavy axe at the nearest demon, a satisfied smirk on his lips as the head of the weapon hit its mark. “Been awhile since we’ve done this, huh?” he called loudly to Dorian and Krem as he took out another demon, then another. “Ha!” he laughed, “Shit’s almost gettin’ too easy!” He roared the next second as the demon behind him slashed its claws across his back, dropping him to a knee. With a deep huff and a growl, he spun as he stood, swinging the axe in one fluid movement, striking the demon. “Piece of crap,” he snarled. 

“Chief!” Krem shouted as he saw the Qunari take the blow to the back. He raised his shield to block another demon that threw itself at him before he lopped it’s head off, then turned and stabbed one through the heart, watching as it vanished in a puff of smoke. “Oi, Dorian! I thought you said these things were supposed to strengthen the damn Veil! Why the hell are we swimming in demon shit?!”

Dorian was asking himself the same thing over and over in his mind as he froze and burned demons until the only thing he could see was red. Anger coursed through him as the answer, the only possible answer, circled around in his head. With a roar of fury, he slammed his staff into the ground, a massive wave of ice engulfed the remaining demons to freeze them solid. He panted as he knelt on the ground, his hand fisting around his staff so hard his knuckles were bone white. He could hear Krem and Bull smashing the ice statues, but he didn’t care.

Solas. Solas had  _ lied _ .

“The next time I see that pointy-eared  _ bastard _ ,” Dorian growled out, shaking as his mind went through all the scenarios that he could possibly go through. He briefly wondered if he could kill the elf and then use his magic to resurrect him just so he could kill him a second time. “These artifacts aren’t for strengthening the Veil. Solas has been using them to weaken it!” He was shaking with fury as he stood up. He felt hurt, betrayed. He felt worry for Jennifer and her daughter. More so if the woman knew that this was what Solas had been doing the whole time. 

“What?!” Bull growled as he smashed the last ice-encased demon and turned to Dorian. He heavily rested his axe on his shoulder, trying to wrap his mind around what his kadan had just said. There was a dangerous look in his eye as he exchanged a glance with Krem, then looked back to the mage. “You mean to tell me we’ve been helping him  _ weaken _ the Veil this whole time?” Betrayal coursed through his veins, his grip on his axe tightened. “That sonuvabitch.”

Krem cursed under his breath. This only raised more questions and none of them he wanted to know the answers to. “Fuck, what does that mean? Was he really working for Corypheus this whole time? Why else would he want to bring down the Veil?”  

That thought angered Bull even further. “He did care an awful damn lot about that orb Corypheus carried,” he said, staring at the greenish crack that still hung above their heads. He was furious with himself. One thing Bull prided on himself was his ability to read people, to see in them what others could not. “How could I have missed this?” he asked quietly, speaking more to himself than to the others. “The next time we see that elven asshole, he’s gonna have a lot to answer for.”

Dorian grit his teeth as he turned back towards the artifact, still crackling with energy. He stared at it for a moment longer. “I seriously doubt my ability to close this blasted thing,” he growled as he raised a hand at it as he tapped back into his magic, but most of it had been depleted during the fight with the demons. He still focused as he cast his spell, trying to undo what had been done. He might as well have been trying to move a mountain for all the good that it did. He let his hand drop a moment later, staring at the object before he turned on his heel and went back to the wagon. “We’re going back.” 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dorian x Bull smut for the win!

First things first, of course, Dorian demanded a stiff drink. It was because of this demand that they found themselves in the nearest town that they could find. It was a quaint little thing where they would be able to restock their supplies before heading back down south to meet up with Solas and demand answers. 

As it was, they were more than a little road weary, Bull had wounds that needed dressing, and they were all in need of a good wash and a night in an actual bed. When they came across the Inn, Dorian wasn’t surprised to see Krem excuse himself from their little group and tended to the horse and wagon. He had a suspicion the man wanted to spend at least one night far, far away from himself and the Bull. 

He snorted as he paid for their room, a bath, and a bottle of whiskey. He didn’t know if Krem needed to worry about that tonight, the Qunari had been in a mood as of late. It made his heart ache as he thought about it and he felt very tired in that instant. What he would give to finally have a place where he could call home. Where they didn’t have to do this. He knew it wasn’t possible, the Bull loved danger almost as much as he loved his sex. He shifted his pack on his shoulder and he shook his head as he accept the bottle from the innkeeper, his life was a mess.

Bull clapped a hand to Dorian’s back, urging the mage ahead of him, then followed him to the room they’d rented. It took everything he had not to throw himself face-first into the bed. But he knew he’d never hear the end of it from Dorian if he got into bed when he was this dirty. So instead, he unceremoniously tossed his bag on the floor and sat down heavily in one of the wooden chairs there, groaning as he rubbed at his face. It had been a couple hours since they’d learned what exactly those artifacts did, and he still couldn’t wrap his mind around it. He felt stupid for not seeing it himself, for Solas sneaking something past him. He dragged both hands slowly down his face as he sat up straighter and looked at Dorian. “Let’s have a drink of that,” he said and nodded at the bottle in Dorian’s hand.

The mage couldn’t argue with that and went over to the table, handing the bottle to Bull while he set his pack on the table and sorted through it until he found fresh bandages and a poultice he had made up on the wagon ride to the inn. “Let me check your wounds,” he murmured as he looked at the bandages they had wrapped over where the demon had scratched the larger man. He had done the best he could under the circumstances, but a bumpy wagon was hardly the best place for work that required steady hands. He peeled away the soiled dressings and tossed them to the side as he looked it over. “Well, you should have an impressive set of new scars. Other than that, you are perfectly fine.” 

“Well there’s your silver fucking lining,” Bull growled with a mirthless huff of a laugh. He tipped the bottle to his lips, taking several long swallows and relishing in the burn in his throat. His back seemed to burn even more as the fresh air hit it, and he tried his best not to wince. “Damn demons,” he muttered, already feeling better with a little alcohol in his system and the promise of a soft bed for the night. He flinched as he felt Dorian starting to clean the wound. “Here,” he said half-jokingly as he held the bottle towards Dorian. “Just pour some of this over it. I’ll be fine.”

Dorian gaped at the man, snatching the bottle from his hand. “What? And waste the only decent form of alcohol in this building?” he argued and tipped the bottle back, taking a long swallow of the liquid, the stuff burning all the way down to his belly where it warmed him from the inside out. He set it aside and started applying the poultice to the deeper scratches. “You are lucky, had the demon been putting more effort into this hit, he could have nicked your lungs and then where would you be?” he questioned, trying not to think too hard about that question himself. He looked up at the knock on their door and watched as a few servants came in with the tub and hot water to fill it with. He ignored the looks shot their way, focusing on bandaging the Qunari back up with fresh bandages. He let out a breath when the door closed again, soothing his hands over the expanse of grey skin under his fingers with the ruse of making certain the bandages laid flat.

Bull frowned when he heard the relieved sigh from Dorian. He’d noticed the looks shot their way, but didn’t think anything of it until he heard his kadan huff like that. “Don’t pay them any attention, Kadan,” he muttered. “It’s probably more the fact that I’m Qunari than it is anything else.” The poultice on his wounds was cool and relieving, Dorian’s touch warm and comforting at the same time. “Who gives a shit what anyone thinks anyway?” He sat up straighter and turned in the chair, grabbing the mage and pulling him down into his lap. He pressed a long kiss to Dorian’s lips, feeling his own mood improving by the minute. “You better get a bath before that water goes cold.”

The mage sighed against the other man as he shifted in his lap, feeling a calm settle over him. He leaned against him, setting his head on the other man’s shoulder as he let the stress from the weeks, months spent on the road without hardly a moment they could call their own. “Forgive me, Amatus. It has been very trying. I apologize, I have been somewhat of an ass as of late. I suppose I have just grown tired of the strain of traveling,” he murmured before he sat up straighter and met the other’s dark eye. He could see the matching tiredness in it and he lifted a hand to cup the man’s cheek. 

“Ahhh, we all have our moments,” Bull said dismissively. He ran a hand up and down Dorian’s back for a moment, just enjoying the quiet and the privacy they hadn’t had while on the road. He looked over at the bath, his length beginning to stir at the thought of Dorian naked and soaking in the hot water. He let his hands roam over the mage’s body, slowly undressing him. He nipped at the side of Dorian’s neck. “Let’s forget about everything else and just enjoy this while it lasts. In this room, nothing else exists except you and me.”

“Just you and I? I rather like the thought of that.” Dorian’s eyes fluttered closed at the softness of Bull’s voice. For such a big brute, he was a terrible sap. He loved it. He helped Bull with some of the ties on his armor, tossing it to the side before he reluctantly stood up from the Qunari’s lap and untied his laces. “I am filthy, as are you. I would personally like to at least be clean when we first take a tumble in those sheets,” he admitted, leaning over and kissing the man soundly. A contentment settled in him and he half wanted to damn the bath and just sit there enjoying the other. How he had ended up with him, he wasn’t certain, but he was glad that he did. His amatus was perfect.

“Alright, Kadan,” Bull said with a slight laugh. “I’ll get cleaned up before I tie you down and have my way with you.” He reached for the waistband of Dorian’s breeches, tugging them down until he could step out of them. His length twitched again and he had to swallow the moan in his throat at the sight of Dorian’s warm, caramel colored skin. His eye traced the lines of the mage’s body, the lines created by the muscle of his chest, his abs, the deep cut of his hip. Bull swallowed again and shot Dorian an accusatory look. “Now you’re just teasing me.”

Dorian felt the corner of his lips twitch upwards in a smile. “Ever the charmer, you are,” he said before he stood up, looking over his shoulder at the Bull as he headed towards the bath and climbed in. He hissed at the blessed hot water that met his skin, his thoughts turning over the other man’s promise of what would come after the bath. It had been a fair while since they had done something elaborate. It was hard to find a secure place in a tent to tie a rope. He shivered at the thought of the man, tying him down. Himself, giving up that control for one blessed night. That he could trust anyone like that spoke volumes. “Besides, you should know by now that I tease everyone.” 

He looked to the other man, eyebrow raised. “Well, will you help me or do I have to wash myself?” he asked as he picked up a bar from the rim of the wooden tub and began working up a lather between his hands and started to work it over his arms slowly. He knew, by now, how to drive the Qunari mad with lust. 

Bull smirked and reclined in the chair for a moment, stretching out his legs, his hard length making the front of his pants tent. “Maybe I’ll just sit here and enjoy the show,” he said, though he knew the words were empty. He couldn’t resist his kadan. He lustfully bit his lower lip, his eye following the little rivers of water and soap over Dorian’s arms, chest, and shoulders. With a groan, he finally pushed himself up out of the chair and lazily strode over to the edge of the tub. “Let me,” he rumbled as he got down on his knees to take the bar of soap and the washcloth from Dorian. Leaning in, he nibbled at the mage’s ear as he ran the soapy cloth over Dorian’s chest and abs, stopping just short of touching the other man too intimately. “You do this to me on purpose.”

Dorian sighed as he leaned his head back against Bull’s chest. “As do you to me,” he murmured, kissing softly at the part of Bull’s shoulder he could reach from his spot in the tub. “Are you certain that you can put up with me for such a time? I am like this always, I am afraid,” he said quietly as he reached up and covered Bull’s soapy fingers with his own.

“Yeah, I can handle it,” Bull assured him as he guided their hands lower, abandoning the soapy rag in the water as he wrapped his fingers around Dorian’s hard length. A small grin split Bull’s lips as he lightly drew his hand up and down the hard shaft, watching as Dorian began to breathe a little harder, moving slightly in the tub. “Careful, Kadan. You don’t want to slop a bunch of water all over the floor.”

Dorian couldn’t stop the soft groan that escaped past his lips as Bull’s strong fingers curled around him, his hips gently thrusting up into that firm grip. Oh, he had missed this. He had missed the long, slow process of utterly making love to one another. He had his fair share of quick trysts in the back alleys of the Imperium and he longed for something more substantial. “You have utterly spoiled me,” he murmured quietly, a delicious shiver working through him.

A low chuckle escaped Bull’s throat. “I try,” he rumbled, his lips brushing Dorian’s ear. He slowly stroked Dorian’s cock a few more times before he released him, then fished around in the water for the rag and lathered it again with the soap. He nearly laughed at the whimper from the other man. He loved this, the teasing, working Dorian up and then making him wait for it. He drew the washcloth over Dorian’s shoulders, rubbing hard at the muscles there, then down over his chest to tease his nipples. 

The mage’s mouth went dry as Bull let go of him and went back to washing him, the gentle, teasing touches left him wanting for more. He didn’t want it to end too soon though, not after the long weeks on the road when only a quick fuck was all they could manage. This was decadence and he arched his back, moaning as the large hands passed over his nipples. Yes, Bull was a tease, but he could be one as well. His cock throbbed at what the night promised and he wanted to forget about everything except for this man.

Bull washed Dorian’s hair as he thought about all the things he’d like to do to his lover before the night was over. “There,” he said after Dorian had rinsed the suds from his hair. “You’re done. Now you can get in the bed without worrying about getting it dirty.” He almost snorted at that. Worrying about getting the sheets dirty? If Bull had his way, those sheets would be damn near ruined by morning.

Dorian let out an unhappy noise as Bull declared him clean. “You have my eternal thanks,” he drawled as he stood up, shivering only slightly at the cooler air of the room wrapping around his body. He flicked his wrist at the fire, making it flare up. He sighed and looked to the Qunari and waited expectantly for him to strip down and get into the tub as well. “Hurry up, I don’t fancy freezing to death out here while I wash you.”

“So demanding,” Bull teased as he stood and stripped off his clothes, tossing them carelessly on the floor. His hard length throbbed as he got an eyeful of Dorian’s body, and he fixed the mage with a predatory gaze as he climbed into the tub. Oh, the hot water felt good. He gave a sigh as he leaned back and began to scrub at his skin, finding himself growing more impatient with every moment that passed. 

The mage took a long breath at the sight of Bull hard and ready for a good time. He nearly snorted, anything would turn him on and any other time he would be more than happy to jump right to it, but he was utterly bored to death of getting right to it. He wanted to take his time, pay his amatus the attention he was due. He chuckled at the impatient sigh from the large man and he fetched a small jar from his travel pack before he went over to stand behind his love as he uncorked the horn balm. “Now now, don’t make a fuss,” he said as he dipped his fingers into the jar and got a healthy amount before he began to work it into a horn. 

A long, deep groan escaped Bull’s throat and he leaned his head back as Dorian worked the balm into one of his horns. “Oh fuck,” he murmured, his eye falling closed as the soothing salve began to sink in. He recognized the scent of it, the way it seemed to work better than any other he’d tried before. “That the stuff Jennifer makes?” he asked, though he already knew the answer. The corner of his mouth twitched as he wondered how Dorian had managed to sweet talk her into making it before they’d parted ways. And how they’d managed to do it without him noticing what they were up to. “Sneaky,” he accused.

Dorian smirked as he switched to the other horn. “Oh please, I noticed you pouting over its loss. How could I not ask our dear friend to not make another batch for you? As for why you didn’t notice, I think it was that she had you babysitting her pet dragon. You were besides yourself.” He set the jar down and returned his hands to both of the horns, languidly stroking them to make certain that every inch had been coated. He let his fingers wander to the man’s head and neck, massaging out the knots he could feel. “As if I would get you anything less than the absolute best.”

A small smile crossed Bull’s lips as he leaned back into Dorian’s touch. “I should have known,” he murmured. “Still not sure what to think of that dragon.” He pushed Jennifer and her dragon from his mind. He wanted to concentrate on his kadan, to enjoy the time they had at this inn before they would have to travel again. After another moment or two, he suddenly stood up and stepped out of the bath, then turned and captured Dorian’s lips in a searing kiss as he pulled the shorter man against him.

Dorian was startled only for a moment at the sudden reaction from Bull, but it quickly turned into a hot desire as those talented lips crashed against his own. He reveled in the feeling of their skin sliding together, and he moaned loudly when he felt Bull’s hardness pressed up against his skin. “Mmmm,” he hummed, “I know of a few ways you could thank me, amatus.” He purred as he ran his hands up and down the thick muscles of the Qunari’s arms. 

Bull smirked again. “Oh, I have an idea or two.” Taking Dorian’s hand, he led him over to the bed, then roughly shoved the mage back onto the mattress. “You know you’ve missed this,” he practically purred as he crawled over the other man, settling just enough of his weight over Dorian to pin him down. He could feel Dorian’s length beginning to harden, pressing against him. He rocked his hips, rubbing his own cock against the smaller man, moaning obscenely at the friction. He dipped his head to nibble at Dorian’s ear. “I can hardly wait to be inside you.”

The most delicious shudder worked its way through Dorian’s frame at the Bull’s heated words, the smouldering look that he held in his eye. The breath on his ear had him groaning in approval as he lifted his legs, wrapping them securely around Bull’s waist. He more than welcomed the heat, the presence of the other man. “Mmm, promises, promises,” he breathed heavily and rocked against the larger man, desperate for friction. He loved the tease.  

Bull moaned as Dorian pressed up against him, their bodies moving against each other. He had to slow this down, take his time with his kadan, or it would be over all too soon. And there was no telling when they’d have another opportunity like this. He suddenly pulled away, the corner of his mouth twitching in amusement as he listened to Dorian whine, and he went to the curtains to remove the soft ropes that tied them back. “These’ll do,” he grinned and returned to the bed, teasing the tassels over Dorian’s nipples before he began to tie the mage up.

Dorian started to protest as Bull pulled away to go to the window, but the rope that he found had him hushing up as he allowed the other man to bind him. He shivered at the feeling of the ropes being teased against his heated flesh and he couldn’t stop his hips from thrusting up against the Qunari’s. “Maker’s breath, Amatus,” he hummed, swallowing thickly. He had missed this, he would be lying if he said otherwise. Somehow the man knew, he knew how to play him like a fiddle. His own cock strained upwards, twitching as the Qunari bumped it every so often. He knew the man was doing it on purpose. “You’ve been waiting for this.” 

“For too long,” Bull growled in answer as he took his time, making sure the knots were secure. Finally happy with them, he left Dorian on the bed and went to their packs, digging around in one to find a bottle of oil. He stood again and uncorked it, then poured a healthy measure into his hand and began to stroke his own cock. He growled low in his throat as he looked over at Dorian, his cock throbbing in his hand to see the mage tied down like that, unable to move. “Damn, you look good like that, Kadan.”

Dorian tested the strength of the bonds, but he should have known better. The man could make parchment as strong as a whip and the tatter ropes were a far cry better than that. He swallowed thickly as he watched the other stroke himself, his mouth going dry at the sight. His own cock twitched in anticipation and he whimpered as it throbbed of its own accord. This was what he wanted, but he’d be damned if he wasn’t impatient to be filled by him. Patience had never been one of his more outstanding virtues. “Bull,” he moaned, sliding his leg what little he could past the Bull’s cock, grinning at the look that passed over the other man’s face.

Bull pulled back out of Dorian’s reach, shaking his head slowly. He adjusted the rope, making sure it was tighter than before. Oh how he loved to tease Dorian. He sat on his knees between Dorian’s legs and poured more of the oil into his hand. “So impatient,” he muttered as he rolled his fingers around, coating them liberally with the oil. A grin split his lips as he reached for Dorian’s cock, stroking it slowly, lightly, watching the other man hiss and writhe on the bed. He let his hand drift lower and slowly eased his finger into Dorian’s body, a moan escaping him as the tight heat clenched around the digit.

His breath left him as the thick finger entered him after the brief heat had curled around his cock. He had missed this and he would be lying if he said otherwise. He groaned as his leg was secured to the bed, he was helpless and more than spread open to the Qunari’s desires and his own, if he were being honest. “Vishante kaffas,” he groaned as his breath caught on the words as Bull’s worked him open, his cock swollen red and begging for attention. 

A low chuckle escaped Bull as he pressed his finger in deeper, pausing to wiggle the tip of it against the bundle of nerves deep in Dorian’s body. His own length twitched as he saw Dorian give a jerk, his muscles tensing. “You like that, don’t you?” he purred, watching as a thick bead of precum formed at the tip of Dorian’s cock and slid down the side. He pulled his hand back and had to swallow down a laugh as Dorian whimpered. “Aww, what’s wrong, Kadan?” he asked almost mockingly as he let his fingers ghost over Dorian’s length, granting him only feather-light touches.

The mage groaned softly as he rocked up, trying to get more contact with his heated flesh. “I’ve said it before, Amatus,” he breathed, his hips twitching as he tried desperately to thrust up into the grip, hungry for a more substantial touch. At the same time, he was relieved, grateful that the man was taking his time after so many quick trysts on the road. Though, he loved fighting too much to stop. His mouth went dry as Bull pulled back from him, leaving him feeling empty and unsatisfied as the man teased him. “You are a terrible man, Amatus,” he breathed, his hips trying to jerk upwards, trying to get more of that delicious friction.

“As if you’d want me any other way,” Bull said as his large hand covered Dorian’s sac, gently rolling his balls as he watched the cock jerk and drip a little more. His own length ached and he wrapped his free hand around himself, stroking the length of it. He leaned over Dorian to capture a nipple in his mouth, sucking harshly at it and teasing it with his teeth. Oh how he loved the taste of Dorian’s skin, the scent of his body. It was enough to drive him mad. “I don’t know how much longer I can hold out,” he admitted as he stroked himself a little faster.

Dorian hissed, his back arching up into Bull’s mouth. That talented tongue swirled around the hard nipple before his teeth sharply bit and tugged, the pain quickly dissolving into a heady pleasure. “Maker’s breath, Amatus, please. I need you, I won’t last much longer either.” Part of him wanted to draw it out, a sinking feeling in him at how quickly it would before it really began. The other part was screaming at him for that sweet release, to be stretched so widely by the Qunari, the delicious friction that his body craved. He pulled against his bonds, he was already splayed out for the man, vulnerable and open. His own cock twitched at the thought of being filled so deeply. “You know better than most I am not a patient man.”

Bull gave a lusty growl and moved to position himself better between Dorian’s legs. “You know I can hardly resist when you beg,” he breathed, grasping himself and teasing the head of his cock against Dorian’s ass. His eye rolled upwards as he pressed forward, the tight ring of muscle slowly giving to him. “Oh shit,” he gasped as the head of his cock was swallowed by Dorian’s body. He stopped then, a wicked grin splitting his lips as he looked down at the man beneath him. “Much better,” he said and began to stroke himself faster, keeping his hips still, just the sensitive head of his cock trapped in Dorian’s heat.

Dorian felt his eyes widen and the blood drain from his face when Bull stopped and the devious smile spread across his face. The head of Bull’s cock rested just inside of him, but that was all. He was still very much empty and he clenched tightly around the head in his ass. His cock gave a needy throb and he tried to rock himself down, trying to take more of the man into himself. “Bull! Vishante kaffas, stop playing games,” he panted as he writhed beneath him, desperate to feel the man’s cock pressing against his prostate, to feel that burn of being stretched so impossibly wide. A hand on his own cock would be a vast improvement.

“Mmm, yeah, that’s good, Kadan,” Bull groaned as the mage tightened his muscles around the head of his cock, rocking ever so slightly on it. He stroked himself faster, loving the sound of Dorian’s pleading, his panting breath and needful whines. Bull gasped heavily as he felt his balls draw up against his body, his cock throbbing in his hand. He leaned forward and captured Dorian’s nipple in his lips, sucking at the taut flesh, moaning around it as he worked toward his climax. Dorian’s body was so hot, so tight around the head of his cock, his own hand gripped his shaft just right… “Fuck,” he grunted as he came, his breath catching in his throat. He slowed his strokes, milking the last from his cock as he tried to come down from the pleasure high.

Dorian’s back arched, unable to escape Bull’s mouth, cock, anything. He was helpless to stop the torrent of Bull’s hot essence from spilling into him. It teased his prostate mercilessly as he tried to draw the length into him, but to no avail. His own cock throbbed and ached in a torturous way as he watched his love utterly use him for his own pleasure. The thought of it made his own mouth go dry, but Maker did he want to come. “Amatus,” he whined, groaning as a bead of come slipped down the tip of his cock, his hips twitching upwards in their bonds. He shuddered as he could feel the come just pooling inside of him and he swallowed hard, looking up at the Qunari. “Please.”

Bull groaned as he sat back, his cock slipping from Dorian’s body. A grin pulled at his lips. “Had to get the easy one out of the way,” he said, wrapping his hand around Dorian’s cock to run his thumb up and down it a couple times. He spread the drop of precum around the head, teasing the tip, watching as more slipped out. “Damn, I’m thirsty,” he commented casually as he pulled his hand away and patted Dorian’s thigh. “Hold on a minute,” he said and got to his feet, swallowing the urge to laugh as he went for the bottle they’d nearly forgotten and poured himself a drink.

He was going to go insane, Dorian decided as Bull left him tied up and splayed open on the bed on the edge of an orgasm that was rapidly slipping away from him. He swore, threw some of his more colorful Tevene curses at the retreating Qunari’s back as the smug bastard turned around, smirking as he drank. “You are the most  _ insufferable _ tease I have ever had the misfortune to know!” He nearly cried at the delicious thrill that went through his spine at the way the man looked at him, to know that he had no power, that he had to trust the Qunari to take care of him and bring him the pleasure he so desperately craved. He settled back onto the mattress, trying to settle his breathing and take his mind off of the ache between his legs. 

Bull smacked his lips, enjoying the cold burn of the alcohol as he swallowed it down. “You’re so impatient, Kadan,” he said, taking another swig before he set the mug down and sauntered towards the bed. “I think we need to work on that.” He knelt between Dorian’s legs again, reaching out to run his thumb up and down the hard shaft, watching the mage’s reaction. “I wonder how many times I could bring you to the edge of climax and deny you before you break?” he mused aloud, teasing the tip again, keeping his touches just light enough to really work Dorian up.

Dorian’s hips jerked as Bull touched him and spoke in that low voice that usually made the mage’s knees weak. His cock throbbed and twitched under the almost feather light touch and he knew that the man was deadly serious about what he wanted to do. The thought of being strung along like that made his bottom lip tremble in anticipation. Well, hadn’t he been saying how he had wanted to take his time? Still, there was a point between pleasure and torture, and Bull was flirting with it. “Says the man who just used me to get the easy one out,” he hissed and whimpered loudly when the man pulled away, feeling large fingers circle around the base of his length. “I’m not certain I can wait much longer.”

Bull squeezed tighter around the base, stemming the flow of the precum from the tip of Dorian’s cock. He wrapped his other hand around the hard length and began to stroke it, the oil on his hand allowing it to glide smoothly, easily over the hard flesh. “Is this what you wanted?” he asked, unable to stop the smirk on his lips. He gripped Dorian’s cock a little harder, stroked it a little faster, his own length firming again to see Dorian so frustrated. 

Dorian could feel the sweat spreading over his skin as he struggled in his bonds, trying to thrust up into the tight grip that held him, but Bull was undisturbed by his writhing. “Amatus, I’m so close!” he begged, he could feel his cock throbbing, his balls drawn up tightly against his body as the Qunari’s talented hand quickly stroked him with his oil slicked grip. “Please, Bull, please let me come!” He panted, that telltale tingling in his groin, the exquisite heat that usually would send him over the edge kept him at just that. He whined, crying out as he was held back. The tight hand around him prevented him from reaching orgasm and he was shaking all over when the man stopped and pulled his hand back. “No!” he cried, “Please!”

Bull kept one hand around the base of Dorian’s cock, feeling it throb and twitch, straining for release. He patiently waited for the flesh to calm before he let go, seeing only a tiny drop bead at the tip again. “See? Patience,” he rumbled, reaching for the oil and coating his fingers with it again. “You can learn after all.” He gently slid his fingers over the soft orbs beneath Dorian’s shaft, playing with them for a moment before he let his fingers travel lower, teasing the opening to the mage’s body. His own length twitched, but he ignored it. His free hand lightly caressed Dorian’s cock, as the tip of a finger on the other hand wiggled into his body.

Dorian couldn’t stop the whimper that escaped him as Bull teased his body again, working him back up, but only just so. He wanted to sink down on that finger, wanted it to rub against his prostate while Bull jerked him off, hard and fast in a way that would bring him that sweet release. This was torturous, but there was something about it that Dorian liked. He tried to thrust up into Bull’s grip, but groaned loudly as Bull pushed his hips into the mattress to keep him still. “Festis bei umo canavarum,” he hissed at the man as his body thrummed with pleasure. “How much longer are you going to draw this out?” he asked desperately, not going to admit his voice broke at the last word.

“As long as I can,” Bull answered, gripping the top of Dorian’s shaft in a vice-like grip and slid his hand to the base again, holding it there. He nearly shivered as he pressed a second finger against the opening to Dorian’s body and he slid both fingers deep into the mage’s body. He groaned as the tight heat engulfed his fingers, longing to slide his own cock into his lover. He crooked his fingers, Dorian’s body gave a jerk, and he began to mercilessly massage his prostate, mindful of keeping a tight grip on his cock to prevent the orgasm he knew Dorian so desperately craved.

When Bull’s fingers pressed into him, it was all the mage could do to hold it together. He gave a shout and tried to curl in on himself as the man’s fingers furiously pressed into his prostate. His cock throbbed and twitched in the larger man’s grip, but once again he was denied his release as he writhed. “Bull!” He near shouted as he tried to buck backwards into the bed, trying to throw off the hand around his sex. He would come if the man just let go, but the infuriating Qunari held on and  _ smirked _ at him as he continued to stroke at him. He moaned desperately, voice fluctuating from a scream to whimpers as the moment passed unsatisfyingly and he was trembling from the effort. 

Bull pulled his fingers out, the other hand still holding Dorian’s cock until he was certain the other man hadn’t reached his climax. “Shh. Relax,” he soothed, gently stroking Dorian’s cock again. “Just enjoy it.” He leaned down and lapped at the head of Dorian’s cock, his tongue curling around it, teasing the slit at the tip, his lips brushing over it. He let his teeth grazed over the underside of the shaft, nibbling and kissing at it lovingly. His mouth traveled to the tender orbs beneath, nuzzling against them, testing how swollen they were before he worked his way back up to gently suck at the head again.

Dorian was going crazy with the sensations that assaulted him and he wondered if he could get worked up enough from Bull’s attentions before the bastard curled his fingers around his cock to stop him again. Sweat was beading on his forehead and dripped down the side of his face as he shook under the Qunari as he licked and nibbled on his length as if it were a feast. He couldn’t stop the full body shiver that worked through him at the sensory overload. 

Bull could feel the tension building in Dorian again, getting closer and closer to orgasm once again. He continued to tease, lapping up the trickles of precum that escaped, moaning obscenely at the taste of his lover’s essence. “So good, Kadan,” he breathed hotly, then captured the head of the cock in his mouth and gave it a hard suck. He bobbed down slowly, taking Dorian into his mouth all the way to the hilt, working the shaft with his tongue. His cheeks hollowed as he sucked again, then pulled back quickly, a resounding smack echoed through the room as Dorian’s trembling cock slipped from his lips and he sat back with a smirk.

“You bastard!” Dorian cried out, it was more of a whimper as he writhed on the bed, the ropes digging into his body, each point of contact seeming to amplify the pleasure singing through him. Still not enough to grant him the sweet release he craved. His head thumped back on the bed and he knew he had to look a mess with the state that he was in. He didn’t care and he loved every moment of it. He wasn’t certain how much longer he could keep forming coherent thought as his cock throbbed with need, full and swollen, desperate for release. “Please, no more, please just let me come.”

“How many is that now?” Bull wondered aloud. “Three? Four? I think I’ve lost count.” He sat there, watching Dorian, thoroughly enjoying the struggle. “I think you can do at least twice as many,” he said and nearly laughed at the look of panic that flashed through Dorian’s eyes. With a groan, he got more on his knees, taking his time as he slicked his cock with oil again, making sure that Dorian could see his length as his hand slid over the hard flesh. “You want this, don’t you?” he teased, seeing Dorian lick his lips, a hopeful look in the mage’s eyes. “Alright. I’ll give it to you.” He held himself steady as he positioned himself against Dorian’s rear, groaning loudly as he began to sink into that heat. Another smirk touched his lips as his hand once again wrapped around Dorian’s cock, squeezing it a little too tightly, and slid himself fully into the other man’s body.

Dorian let out a long groan as the man slid into him, thankfully not stopping at just the head. He panted as the thick cock became seated inside of him fully, stretching him in the most delicious way. His cock throbbed against Bull’s hand, his orgasm was already on the edge again with the length pressing on his prostate. He clenched down tightly on Bull’s cock, the only thing he could do and he savored the fullness he felt. “Please,” he begged, looking up into the man’s eye as he thrust his hips up. 

Bull leisurely thrust into his lover, every pass slow and deliberate. Oh, the heat was exquisite around his hard cock. He felt Dorian’s cock throb in his hand, swelling, straining. He leaned over as he pressed himself deep into his kadan’s body, kissing and sucking at the side of Dorian’s neck. “You’re so tight around my dick,” he breathed hotly. “Your cock is so hard in my hand. I can’t wait to watch you come… to fuck you again and again… ngh… making you come until you can’t stand it anymore.”

It was crude, hot, exhilarating. Dorian couldn’t believe himself growing harder at Bull’s words, his promise. He would do what he could to make that happen for the man, but he wasn’t certain he would be much of anything after this. He panted out as he tilted his head to the side, feeling the Qunari seal his lips on his neck. He would have a hickey the next morning, of that he was certain. He tried to suck in a desperate breath of air as Bull slowly and methodically thrust into him. He could feel that sweet release building up and he was near tears with the want to finally be allowed to slip over that edge. “Amatus,” he moaned into the grey skin of Bull’s shoulder.

Bull thrust in harder, increasing his pace as he listened to Dorian moan and whine. He didn’t know how much longer he could hold back. He grunted as he snapped his hips forward, driving himself deep into that slick, tight heat. “Kadan,” he rasped, his voice low and rough. His cock swelled, sweat beading on the back of his neck as the pleasure built to a breaking point. He slammed himself faster into the mage, roaring out as he came, and finally released his grip on Dorian’s cock, stroking it in time with his thrusts.

The result was instantaneous as Bull let go of Dorian. Molten hot pleasure seemed to course through the mage’s veins and he almost lost control of his magic, but caught it at the last moment before something caught on fire. His whole body bowed inwardly, up into Bull’s embrace as his cock pulsed, spilling his essence over the two of them. The only thing he knew in that moment was the pure bliss of ecstasy and his lover filling him so perfectly. It went on and on for what seemed like a lifetime before Dorian finally sagged back against the bed, boneless. Mind blank. 

Bull groaned as he relaxed over Dorian, snickering slightly at how much Dorian had come. He pressed a hot kiss to the mage’s mouth before he pulled back and began to untie the ropes. “I need another drink after that,” he said as Dorian was finally freed. He grinned and went for the bottle to bring it over to the bed. He took a long swig then handed it to the other man. “You know you loved it.” The grin on his face widened as he watched Dorian eagerly gulp down the amber liquid. “So… ready for round two?”


	9. Chapter 9

It was a strange mixture of hope and dread that filled Solas’s chest as they traveled. So much time had been wasted as they searched for a working eluvian. The Veil was weakening even more; he could feel it around him. And his power was growing.

But little good it did him if he could not find a working eluvian. They had first traveled to the eluvian that Jennifer, Abelas, and Ellie had gone through when he’d been separated from them, but by the time they found it, it was destroyed. They’d traveled on, searching for another he knew of, but just like the first, the glass lay glittering upon the ground at its base. Was someone searching out and destroying the eluvians? It broke his heart to think so. And it made him question if the one they now sought would be broken as well.

He knew that Jennifer and the others were weary of traveling. He could see it in their eyes, though they rarely complained. He glanced at Abelas now as they rode along, the slight wince of pain on the sentinel’s face saying more than words ever could. While all of them were saddlesore from days of riding, Solas knew that it was even worse on Abelas due to his leg. “It is not much farther now, lethallin,” he said. “After we meet with Mythal, we can rest.”

Abelas looked up from where he had been concentrating on the path ahead of them. The pain in his leg from the travels was starting to become unbearable. Not even the exercises that Ellie had him doing, nor the massages she bestowed upon him at night, brought any form of relief. “I am not certain if I rested for the entirety of my remaining lifespan that my leg would ever recover.” Being immortal, that said quite a bit about what the sentinel thought of his leg. The pain over the past few weeks only seemed to intensify. He pressed his lips together and spared a look at Elowyn before glancing back to Solas. He wouldn’t admit it aloud, but in his current state with his leg, satisfying his heart was harder with his bum leg and it was starting to wear on him. He despised being invalid. “If it continues, amputation may be the only course of action. Death would be preferable,” he muttered the last line under his breath. 

“Do not say such things,” Solas hissed at him, casting a wary eye over at Ellie. He couldn’t tell if she’s heard Abelas’s words or not. He frowned deeply. Abelas had seemed happier as of late. It bothered Solas to hear the sentinel speak of death again. He met Abelas’s eyes with ferocity in his own. “You cannot mean that. After everything that has happened, all the progress you’ve made. You mean to tell me that you find nothing in this world worth living for?” He pressed his lips thin, reminding himself to keep his voice low so as not to upset Elowyn. “I thought you were happier now that you have Ellie. We are so close to our goal. Why would you give up now?”

Abelas felt his heart give a lurch at the thought and he spared a look over at Ellie; she was riding next to Jennifer while she talked about something or other. He found himself smiling softly at the woman before he looked back towards Solas. “I would not give up so easily. It is just,” He paused for a moment, trying to think of the right words to say. The future was ahead of them, but spending an eternity crippled and in pain. Unable to provide for his lath and kin, “Difficult to wrap my mind around. Ignore me, my friend. I believe I am road weary. I am certain once I am off these horses for a week or a month, my mood will improve. I do not need you joining Elowyn in her venture to call me grumpy.”

Solas gave a nod, half-tempted to goad the other elf, but decided against it. None of them were in the mood for joking. “I know it cannot be easy for you,” he said. “It is disheartening enough to see how our people have fallen, to see them so removed from their natural abilities, their connection to the Fade. Then to have your mobility limited the way yours is…” He paused and frowned again. “I believe I can understand why you would feel the way you do. But please do not let it cloud your judgment. If you need to, I am always willing to listen to your frustrations, my friend.” 

Abelas let his lips curl up in a smile before he inclined his head at the other man. “Your concern is appreciated. I shall try to not overwhelm you with my worries. Elowyn says I can get rather grim and fatalistic when I think on matters too long. A trait we seem to share. I suppose it comes from being immortal. We have seen the worst and best that life has to offer,” he said, wincing as he shifted on his saddle once more. For some reason, his leg was bothering him more than usual today. He looked up as they led the horses into the thick of the woods, pondering the dappled sunlight coming down through the leaves. He pushed the hood off of his head before looking to Solas again. “We only have a few more hours before nightfall.”

“It should not be much farther now,” Solas reassured him. He could feel something in the air, a slight tingling of magic, and he knew they were close to the eluvian now. He just prayed that it would still work, that someone hadn’t come along and destroyed it like the others he’d sought out. 

Though he kept his expression neutral, he could not help but to think on Abelas’s words. There had to be something that could be done for the sentinel. Solas couldn’t imagine what it would be like to feel so physically limited, especially for someone such as Abelas whose entire existence had, for centuries now, been dependent on his ability to fight, to use his body to protect what he held sacred. No, there had to be something more that they could do for him.

It was only a short time later that Solas pulled his horse to a stop and dismounted. “There it is,” he said as he tied his horse to the branch of a tree, then went to Jennifer and helped her down from her horse. “Can you see it?” he asked, gently turning her towards the sound of a waterfall. He leaned over slightly, his face next to hers, and pointed through the trees. “It is hard to tell from here, but this one appears to still be intact.” His heart gave a little jump at his own words.

Jennifer tired from the travel, still got butterflies when the elf pressed his face next to hers. It was endearing how excited he was about finding this eluvian. She could see it through the trees, sunlight reflecting off of its polished surface. She let out a breath she had been holding, shifting their daughter in her arms as she leaned against him more securely. Truth be told, she was nervous about what would happen when they found Mythal. She remembered the game and the ending scene with Solas accepting Mythal’s soul to make him stronger. What happened after she wasn’t certain, but he had looked fearsome, angry as his eyes glowed with power.  She didn’t want him to change. “That’s it then,” she murmured. 

He looked at her curiously, catching the note of apprehension in her voice. It was she who had told him about the meeting with Mythal in the first place. He didn’t know what to expect here, but he hoped his old friend would provide him with clarity, that she would help him to regain his full power. “Don’t be afraid, Vhenan,” he tried to comfort her. “It will all be alright. Mythal will help us.” He pressed a kiss to her temple, then ran his hand over the baby’s head, smiling at the little one as she slept in her mother’s arms. “Come,” he said, taking Jennifer’s hand to lead the way.

Abelas allowed Ellie to help him off of the horse, taking her hand as he carefully lowered himself to the ground. A hiss escaped his lips as he tested his weight on the limb and he was unhappy with the resulting lance of pain that went through him. “My thanks, ma lath,” he murmured, leaning on her heavily while he reached up to get the crutch from where he had secured it to the animal. “It is as if all the progress we have made was for nothing.” 

“I know,” Ellie said comfortingly, letting him lean as much of his weight on her as he needed to. “We won’t be traveling forever. We’ll make it up again.” She slid her arm around his waist and followed after Solas and Jennifer. She couldn’t help but to look this way and that, taking in the forest around them. There was something magical about this place, and she couldn’t quite decide if it seemed welcoming or not. It definitely commanded a certain amount of respect. “Let’s just get this over with,” she said, speaking softer than usual. She was weary from riding for so long as it was; seeing how much it affected Abelas only made it worse. She could see the pain flash across his face with every step and it made her heart sink. “Keep going, old man. You’re tougher than this.”

The smirk couldn’t be stopped as he cast her a side glance, shaking his head. “Oh, what a joy you are in my life,” he murmured, “I often wonder if you are jealous. If I had my full strength, I imagine I could make you limp as badly as I do after a long night with you in my bed.” He shivered at the thought and lamented it the next moment. He wondered if he would ever get to offer that to her. As it was, he could only lay on his back or side and it was probably not very satisfying to her. She would tire of him certainly if he could not fulfill her every whim. And he very much wanted to. “You deserve better.”

A heat pooled in her belly at the words he spoke, but it quickly vanished when she heard the last part. “Oh shut up,” she hissed at him and smacked him on the ass. “Don’t you start talking like that again. I like you the way you are. For who you are. Now stop it.” She hated it when he spoke poorly of himself. With a shake of her head, she pressed on, more than eager to be done with this place. Though in the back of her mind, she worried about what would come next. This path was not an easy one and she feared it would only get worse. She summoned a bit of frost to her fingers and pressed her hand against his hip as they walked, trying to numb some of the pain for him. “What do I have to do to prove to you that I want to be with you, just the way you are?”

He nearly groaned in relief as her hand pressed into the ache of his body, the soothing coolness chasing away some of the pain and he wished that it could be endless. He managed a smile for her, leaning down to catch her lips in a quick kiss. “I believe you have proven that. It is I with whom the fault lies. I so very dearly wish to give you everything you deserve and more. If I were able, I would take you up against one of these trees right now,” he said quietly so their traveling companions up ahead would not hear him, “I think traveling has made me more grumpy than usual. My apologies. You do enough, more than a grouch deserves.” 

She trembled again at the thought. Though she was happy with their sex life, she couldn’t deny that there were times she wished he could be more… involved. “Oh, we’ll have to try that one of these days. Just you wait. We’ll get there. You’ll see.” She bit her lip as she thought about it, becoming more turned on by the minute the longer the fantasy played out in her mind. But she was stopped short as they reached the eluvian and she watched as Solas looked it over with a critical eye.

Solas raised his hand to the glass, a smile crossing his lips as the eluvian activated. “Excellent,” he said and took a step back to look it over once more. Without a word, he took Jennifer’s hand again and stepped through the portal, shivering as the magic of it washed over his skin. His eyes widened once they were through. Just as Jennifer had said, there was Flemeth, working a bit of magic into another eluvian. He gave Jennifer’s hand a squeeze and looked over his shoulder as Abelas and Ellie came through, then walked forward slowly, uncertain what to expect now. 

He’d been excited to speak with his old friend again, but now he suddenly felt a dread fill his chest. Would she be disappointed in him? For what he’d done, for how he’d let the people fall so far from what they were supposed to be? He didn’t know.

Abelas felt his eyes widen as he laid eyes on Mythal, the one evanuris he had sworn himself to, bound to her will because she had been the best of them all. He bowed his head to her, part of him feeling as though he had failed her that day she had been murdered. He also felt some justification, a pleasure that she had somehow still bested the ones who plotted against her. She was still here and they were not. “Mythal,” he murmured, reminded of a better time back so many years ago. 

Mythal felt the change in the air even before they stepped through the other eluvian and she turned. “I knew you would come,” she said sadly, looking to the band of travel weary companions. “Much has changed in this world, but I knew you would come.” She sighed and looked over each of them, there were a few more than she had been expecting. Solas had always been a bit of a loner, but she was pleased to see him with a family. It was heartwarming. Still, there was the matter at hand. “You should not have given your orb to Corypheus, Dread Wolf,” she murmured and watched him as his look turned haunted.

Solas let his hand slip from Jennifer’s as he walked forward. It was not Mythal’s body, but it was her spirit and he could feel it. “I was too weak to unlock it after my slumber,” he admitted, his voice sadder than he meant for it to sound. It was as if it was all coming back to him, the grief of her death, the anger he held for the evanuris, the horror and disappointment he felt when he awoke again and found what the world had become. “The failure was mine.” His voice trembled as he spoke. “I should pay the price. But the people… they need me,” he said, leaning into her shoulder as his throat seemed to close off and tears burned at his eyes. “I am so sorry.”

Jennifer felt her chest ache for Solas. He sounded so broken and she had forgotten this side of him. He really wanted to make things right. She studied the way the older woman held him close, a cherished friend murmuring into his ear quietly. She swallowed, remembering what had to happen next with too much clarity and a panic went through her. What if it really changed him? What if her spirit did something to him? “Solas,” she whimpered, sounding weaker than what she would have liked and she swallowed the lump in her throat as she stumbled forward towards them. “Wait. Please wait,” she begged.

He’d nearly forgotten the others were there, he was so wrapped up in the presence of his old friend. He gently pulled away from Mythal, looking to his vhenan. The distress in her eyes alarmed him. “Jennifer?” he asked, taking a step towards her and extending his hand. He carefully took her arm and pulled her closer. “Forgive me,” he murmured, scrubbing at his eye with the heel of his hand. A small, watery laugh escaped his throat. “How rude of me. I should introduce you,” he said before he turned to Mythal again, his arm sliding around Jennifer’s waist. “This is Jennifer,” he said to his friend, “My lath. And our daughter, Olivia.” He nuzzled into Jennifer’s hair, whispering into her ear, “It’s alright. You’re safe here, vhenan. Don’t be frightened.”

Mythal chuckled softly as she observed the woman and child. She could definitely see Solas within the young one. She looked to the elf. “My old friend, do open your eyes. It is not herself that she is afraid for. It is your well being she fears,” she mused as she stepped closer to them, giving Jennifer a small smile, “My dear girl, you have my very word that my soul will not corrupt or change him in any way. I daresay you have done well on that front. That being said, he will still be the same stubborn, grim and fatalistic elf that you fell in love with. The only thing that will come of this is that my soul and magic should give his the oomph he needs to safely take down the Veil.”

Jennifer felt a little silly, protesting immortals, but apparently a lifetime of knowledge didn’t exactly make them experts at life. Solas giving Corypheus his orb spoke volumes of that. That he couldn’t foresee everything that was going to happen. Neither could she and it bothered her not knowing what was about to happen. She feared for Solas and her daughter should something happen to her father. “I just,” she started, leaning into him, turning to look into his blue eyes. She searched them, imagining the clip from the end of the game where they had been swirling with untold power, his face blank and devoid of emotion. She swallowed the lump that formed in her throat and she leaned her forehead against his. “I just don’t want to lose you.”

“You never will,” he promised softly, his eyes falling closed as he held her for a moment. A frown tugged at his lips as he felt her trembling. “Vhenan, I will still be as I am now,” he said, but stopped himself short. Would he truly still be himself? A small part in the back of his mind let doubt creep forward. He didn’t want to give her more reason to fear him. She was still uncertain about how tearing down the Veil would affect the world and her loved ones. She didn’t need more reason to question him. 

But oh, what a comfort it would be to have Mythal with him always. To feel her presence with him wherever he went, to know that she was safe and alive within him. He swallowed harshly. No, Jennifer was even more important to him than his friend. He pulled back from Jennifer slightly, shaking his head, and looked to Mythal. “I cannot do it,” he said softly to her. “I do not want her to see me differently than I am now. But we need your power to tear down the Veil, to help the people and set the world right again.” There was only one other option. He turned and looked at the sentinel. “Abelas.”

Abelas looked up, blinking at the implication. He spared a glance with Ellie before he looked back to Solas and Mythal. “I am not certain that I deserve the honor,” he said. The offer was unexpected and he wasn’t certain exactly what he wanted to do. He did not blame Jennifer and her worries. She was the mother of the Dread Wolf’s only child, the babe in her arms. If something were to happen during the merging of their souls, there would be nothing to undo what would occur. He licked his lips and looked to Elowyn at his side, leaning against her. “Ma lath. Would you allow me this honor?”

Ellie was surprised that he would ask for her opinion on this. If Jennifer thought it was a bad idea for Solas, why then would it be acceptable for Abelas? She didn’t like the idea of it at all. But when she realized that all four of them were staring at her, waiting for her response, she felt uncharacteristically intimidated. “I… I guess so,” she stammered, even though her mind was screaming that it was wrong, that this couldn’t possibly end well. She glanced at Mythal again, but quickly looked away and cleared her throat. Mythal’s gaze was piercing and her presence overwhelming. Ellie felt like she couldn’t have said no even if she wanted to.

Duty bound him to a lot of things. In this matter, he did not have much of a choice. They needed the aid of their friend and her power, but the look in Elowyn’s eyes almost had him refusing. He spared Mythal and Solas a glance before he turned to Ellie, wincing as pain lanced up his leg. He didn’t let it deter him as he cupped her cheek, lifting her gaze to his own. “Unfortunately, I will still be the same grumpy Elvhen.” He lowered his head, catching her lips in a gentle, but passionate kiss. “That will never change,” he promised, leaning their foreheads together, “As my feelings for you.”

Ellie pressed her lips together and nodded, hoping he was right. But her stomach twisted painfully and a fear for him and what he might become curled around her heart. She forced a smile and nudged him towards Mythal. “Go on then,” she said softly, proud of herself for keeping her voice from cracking despite the lump she felt in her throat. She wrapped her arms around herself as she watched him limp towards Mythal. She jumped as Jennifer’s dragon crawled up her leg to perch itself on her shoulder, blinking its bright eyes as it watched him go. “What do you think about all this?” she whispered to it, scratching its chin. “Bad idea. Very bad idea.”

Jennifer watched, eyes wide as Abelas came over to them, doing his best to stand tall in front of the older woman. Yet one more thing that was about to change. She supposed she shouldn’t be surprised, everything else had completely gone to hell. This would be no different. She looked over at Ellie, the dragon trilling at her and she felt a stab of guilt for stopping Solas. A voice in the back of her mind had her wondering if they should just leave it alone, do something else to help the People. 

Solas held Jennifer tightly to his side as he watched the interaction between Abelas and Mythal. Part of him longed to speak up, to change his mind and take Mythal’s power for himself, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Jennifer had sacrificed so much already for his goals, he would give this up if it helped to bring her peace of mind. 

It was over in an instant, Mythal’s spirit transferring from Flemeth’s body to Abelas’s, and the sentinel caught her in his arms as she fell. Ellie’s eyes went wide as Abelas knelt to the ground with the weight and bowed his head over her. But what horrified Ellie was how quickly Flemeth’s body turned to black, the sickening way it spread across her skin, her entire being. She gasped and took a step back, her heart hammering in her chest. No, no this wasn’t right. They should never have done this, should never have come to this place. “Abelas?” she asked, her voice tiny, and she nearly choked on a frightened cry when he looked up at her, his eyes glowing unnaturally.

The feeling of Mythal’s presence and power suddenly surging through him nearly brought tears to his eyes. For the first time in what felt like ages, the pain in his leg vanished. Mythal’s magic healing him from the inside out and he swallowed thickly at the sensation. She was safe within him and he knew he would give his life to keep it that way. He could feel his full power returning to him, as if Mythal’s soul made him one with the Fade again. He blinked, hearing his name being called and he looked around, his eyes focusing on Elowyn, the shock and fear there. The act must have been disturbing to watch and he looked back down at Mythal in his arms, carefully laying the body upon the ground  before he stood. By the Creators, that felt better and he offered a smile to the healer. “It is alright. I have her. She is safe within me.” 

Ellie pressed her lips to a hard line and shook her head. No, it was not alright. Nothing about this was alright. Her hands curled into fists at her side and she turned sharply on her heel, stomping back the way they’d come. She didn’t know what to think of this, if she even wanted to be part of this anymore. Tears prickled the corners of her eyes and she hastily wiped them away as she reached the eluvian they’d entered through. A cry escaped her as she tried to walk through it, but bounced back from the solid surface. She rounded on the others. “Let me out!”

Jennifer stood frozen to the spot, watching the still body on the ground before she realized just what she had done and she felt terrible for it. She had been selfish. Abelas and Ellie had been through so much shit already and then she let him take Mythal’s essence. The act obviously startling the poor woman and giving her the same fears that Jennifer had just before Solas was going to take on the soul. She watched as Abelas’s eyes glowed bright blue a moment before the eluvian in front of Ellie shimmered and opened. 

Abelas wasn’t certain what to feel in that moment, but he watched the healer slip through the mirror before he took a step forward. He blinked down at himself when he felt no pain and tears gathered in his eyes at the relief of it. It was short lived and he went after Elowyn. Part of him did not like the way that she had looked at him, as though he were a monster to be feared. “Elowyn?” he called as he stepped through the mirror, looking for her. 

Solas sighed and covered his eyes with his hand, squeezing at his temples. He would never admit it aloud, but part of him was jealous of Abelas, to know that the sentinel’s full power had returned. All he could do now was hope that the same happened for him when they managed to tear down the Veil. He slid his hand down his face, watching as Abelas hurried after Ellie. “Come,” he said and took Jennifer’s hand, following their friends, though at a slower pace. He didn’t want to be separated from them, but he also didn’t want to get pulled into the argument he was certain was about to happen. 

Ellie heard Abelas call after her, but she continued on towards the place they’d left the horses. She didn’t know what she was supposed to feel, there were so many emotions running through her all at once, but fear was definitely one of them. Not that she thought Abelas would hurt her, but a fear of how he might be changed and what he and Solas were really going to do with this new power. The little dragon on her shoulder chirped at her and kneaded his claws like a cat before he took to the sky as she reached her horse. She could see Abelas walking towards her, a limp no longer in his stride. “Looks like you don’t need me anymore,” she said curtly.

That made him stop short, watching her as she pulled herself up onto her horse and a fear lanced through him that she would really leave him. He swallowed the lump in his throat and cursed at himself for falling so hard for the woman in front of him. “I need you far more than you think.” He remembered a time when he couldn’t wait to be rid of her and now… He pressed his lips thin and stood taller. “When I said that I wanted to see a future with you at my side, it is as true now as it was then. Please. Do not leave now.”

“I’m not leaving,” she snipped, gripping the reins tightly in her hand. She pressed her lips thin for a moment before she muttered, “I don’t know how to get out of this damn forest.” She looked at him, the way he stood before her. She’d never seen him stand so tall, his face so free of pain. Her expression softened slightly. “At least your leg won’t bother you anymore,” she said and tucked her head. She really was happy that he wasn’t hurting anymore. “This… I don’t think I want to be part of this anymore,” she said quietly. She swallowed, keeping her composure as best she could. “The more this goes on, the more I think it’s wrong. Especially after what just happened. It isn’t right.”

He felt more fear in his heart as she spoke. The softness in her eyes and the honesty with which she told him she was happy he was no longer in pain lifted his spirits a little. “We did what we must. What we had to do to save the future of the elves. So that they will no longer live as slaves to others who believe they can own a life. To themselves believing in a false truth. As for what happened just now, it was consensual. A soul cannot be taken or received without complete permission from both parties.” 

She suddenly looked up, an anger in her eyes. “But why did it have to be  _ you _ ?” she snapped. “Jennifer thought it was a bad idea for Solas to do it, so why the hell would it be a good idea for you to do it? You didn’t know it was going to heal you!” Anger replaced her fear for the moment and she threw her leg over the horse, dropping to the ground again to stomp towards him. “He admitted this whole Veil mess was his fault! He should have been the one to carry Mythal! Jennifer’s a seer, isn’t she? So obviously she knows this can’t end well! She knows this is a bad idea, that’s why she stopped Solas from doing it!” She put her hands on her hips and stared up at him, her lips in a thin line, her eyes blazing. “But no, you just had to do it instead. You big idiot!”

Abelas stared down at her, taking the anger from her. There was a flush on her cheeks and she was panting when she finished. She was glorious and he had to admire that about her. “Force of habit, I suppose. I am used to, what is that term? Taking one for the team? I truly believe that if this would harm me, you, them, Mythal would not have let us have her power. As for why Jennifer did not want Solas to take the risk, she is a new mother with the babe, nearly a year old in her arms. She feared for the father of her child.” He gave her a sad smile, “Are you worried for me?”

“Of course I’m worried for you, jackass!” she spat. She crossed her arms tightly over her chest, a frown pulling at her lips. “You just said it yourself. Jennifer was afraid for Solas. If she was afraid for him, then why shouldn’t I be afraid for you? She knows something. There’s a reason she didn’t want him to do it.” She pressed her lips thin again and shook her head. “I don’t understand how it is somehow okay for you to do this and not for him. It’s bullshit. I don’t like this at all and I don’t agree with it.”

He winced as she shouted, her words stinging more than he should have let them, but the opinions of this woman mattered to him. “Do you think so little of me to not speak your worries when I asked you before I accepted the soul into me? Did you think that I would have ignored your worries had you said no to my request?” He felt a bit of anger lancing through him at that. “I asked you for the truth and you think I would have thrown it back into your face.” His own hands clenched into fists. “What would you have us do then? Would you even be honest with your desires now? Or just tell me what you believe that I want to hear?”

“You sort of put me on the spot if you didn’t notice!” she shot back. “What the hell was I supposed to say? You’re a grown man, you can make your own decisions, you don’t need my permission. But that doesn’t mean I have to like it!” She paused and huffed angrily at him, tempted to smack him for being so stupid, but she decided against it. “It’s not like there’s anything to do about it now anyway. Too late, right? I mean, no one explained this to me! There was no discussion about this before we got here, at least not that I was a part of! The fuck was I supposed to say?!” She turned as Solas and Jennifer approached; the slow way they walked wasn’t missed by her. “I’m done. Let’s get out of this stupid forest and I’ll just leave you three to conquer the world or whatever bullshit it is you’re planning. I don’t want to be part of it anymore.”

Jennifer winced at the fiery attitude that exuded from Ellie and she felt even more miserable. “Please, don’t leave us.” The other woman had become something like a sister to her and she hated to see her so distressed because she had a moment of freaking out. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happens next, I was afraid that Solas would lose a part of himself. Some stupid fear that was misplaced.” She looked to Abelas who didn’t look happy either. She would win the award for royally fucking that situation up. “And no, that didn’t make it acceptable for throwing Abelas under the bus and risking his life.”

“Bus?” Ellie asked, confused by the term, but shook her head. It didn’t matter. She went to her horse and mounted again. “Well? Come on! I don’t have all day,” she snipped, turning the horse slightly towards the direction she thought they’d come. She wasn’t sure; she needed them to lead her out of the woods. But after that, she was going off on her own.  

It bothered Solas to see Ellie so upset, and to see Abelas upset as well. He stepped forward and put a hand on Abelas’s shoulder, speaking in a hushed tone. “Give her some time. She is frightened and confused, understandably so. She will come around once she’s had time to calm herself and think about everything.” 

Abelas watched as Ellie started heading back the way they came and he let out an aggravated sigh. “I hope you are correct, lethallin,” he muttered as he turned to get his own horse, collecting the reins in his hand before he led the horse around, looking at his fellow companions, “I think I will walk until we are out of the woods. I have dearly missed the earth under my feet.” 


	10. Chapter 10

Ellie didn’t know who they thought they were fooling. For what seemed like the millionth time in a row, she heaved an impatient sigh and shot a glare at Abelas. She hadn’t spoken a word to him over the last couple of hours as he walked through the forest, leading them out. She suspected that he was stalling by walking instead of riding. All she wanted was to be free of these damn trees and to be on her way. The light was waning and if they didn’t hurry, it would be too dark for her to travel on her own. No matter how angry she was, she wasn’t going to be stupid enough to try to travel alone after dark. She finally couldn’t hold her tongue any longer. “Sometime today would be nice, you know,” she snapped.

Abelas felt a flash of annoyance lance through him as he looked over to the woman, but took another incredible, pain free step. “My apologies. After being injured and in pain for so long, I am making up for lost time,” he murmured, “One would think that you of all people would understand my desire to walk instead of sit down now that I can do so without agony dogging my every step.” He could have been gentler about it, but her coldness towards him was wearing on him. He missed the easy way they teased each other and he was beginning to think that whatever had been growing between them was over.

“Should we find you a field of flowers to frolic through?” she asked. Though she tried to stop herself, she rolled her eyes anyway. Why he was dragging this out, she didn’t know. “You have the rest of eternity to walk all you like. You’re wasting my time.” An irritated snort escaped her and she was sorely tempted to just chance it on her own, to find her own way out of the forest. If she just kept going in one direction, surely she’d make it out eventually, wouldn’t she? She sat up straighter, setting her jaw, and urged her horse into a trot. “Nevermind. I’ll find my own way. I don’t need you,” she said as she passed him, trying to make note of which direction the light came from. If she kept it on her left shoulder, she could continue in a straight line at least until dark.

Jennifer almost rolled her eyes as Abelas only adjusted the course of the path they were on to follow Ellie. She didn’t like the way they were fighting and with the tension of the day still going strong, she felt like she was going to be sick before too long. She cast a glance to her side, watching Solas for a moment as he held Olivia in his arms while he loosely held the reins in his fingers. “I should have let you be the one. I was just so afraid you would become this emotionless elf who wanted nothing more to do with her or me.” 

If he hadn’t been so focused on their daughter, Solas thought he might’ve fallen off his horse. “Vhenan,” he started, but shook his head. He didn’t like seeing her like this, insecure, doubting herself. He took a moment to choose his words carefully. He was a bit disappointed, and perhaps a tad jealous of Abelas, but he wasn’t angry with her and he didn’t want her to think that he was. “I am afraid you are stuck with me, regardless of where our path takes us.” He gave her a little sideways smile. “Once the Veil is down, my power will return fully. I do not need Mythal for that. But Abelas has made a full recovery because of Mythal’s power. We made the right decision. It will just take Elowyn some time to see that.”

Jennifer felt butterflies as Solas flashed her a smile and she felt better to hear him say it was the right thing. Seeing Abelas taking so much joy from the simple act of walking was certainly more than enough proof of that. “Thank you for understanding. I suppose I am just tired of seeing so much stress and worrying. I’m ready for that happy ending for everyone, but I suppose that’s rather silly. What I would really like it to just go away with you, raise our daughter, have fun with our friends. Live life to the the fullest. All that sappy romantic stuff. Cassandra would be proud.”

He chuckled at that. “That she would,” he agreed. He looked down at the baby in his arms, a soft smile pulling at his lips as she giggled and reached for his face. She was getting so big already. “There will be no happy ending for us, Vhenan,” he said as he finally tore his gaze from the baby and looked to Jennifer again. “Because our story will not end.” It made his heart soar to think that one the Veil was down, she would be immortal just as he was. He moved his horse closer to hers and leaned over to steal a kiss. “I believe you are rubbing off on me.”

She smiled against him as she held onto her saddle and met his lips again. Jennifer loved it when she could see him in this playful mood. He was too hard on himself, that she was certain of. “I could be rubbing off on you. It’s one of my favorite things to do, if you’ll recall.” She gave him a wink and sat up straighter on the horse as she looked towards the sky and the waning light. “Perhaps later. I have a feeling Ellie will need to stay the night with us after we get out of the forest. It will be too dark to travel and everyone knows the weird shit pops out of the ground at night.”

Solas nodded, looking ahead once again, and sighed. He hoped that Ellie would come around; he didn’t want to think about how Abelas would react if she really did leave them. And they needed her help. “Perhaps you could speak with her,” he suggested. “I believe she would be more willing to listen to you than to me or Abelas.” He looked to Jennifer again, meeting her eyes with an intense gaze. “We need her help to bring down the Veil. And yours. Abelas and I could manage it on our own, but just barely. There is no one else I would trust to aid us.”

Jennifer blinked at that. “You need our help? Even when Abelas has Mythal’s power?” she asked, looking up ahead to Ellie who was sitting ramrod straight in the saddle of her horse. She pressed her lips together and looked back to Solas, nodding. “I’ll talk to her, see if I can get her to come around. Though, it would be easier to explain why she’s needed. The question is going to come up. I’m a little curious as well. We’re not supposed to be like, virgin sacrifices are we?”

Solas laughed again. “Aside from the fact that neither of you actually qualify to be a  _ virgin  _ sacrifice, no, it is nothing like that,” he said, an amused smile playing across his lips. “You know that your magic is different from any other here in Thedas. I know we have had little time to explore your powers, but I believe they will help to bring the Veil down as… gently… as possible. Since we are fortunate that Ellie is a mage as well, it occurred to me that we could perform a ritual to bring the Veil down more smoothly. The idea first came to me when I borrowed your grandmother’s spell book. Something akin to… calling the corners, is it?”

Jennifer blinked at the elf, her mind turning over the specific spell he was referring to. “That’s actually not a bad idea,” she murmured, thinking over the calling the corners, “Takes a bit of reworking, but that should help us bring it down much smoother.” She gave him a smile, reaching over to give his knee a squeeze. “Look at you being all clever. I’m impressed, love.”

“I do try,” he said as their horses finally emerged from the woods. The sky above was a dark, inky blue and the first stars were starting to appear. Like Ellie, Solas suspected that Abelas had taken his time in order to stall her departure. “We can make camp here,” he called ahead to them and nearly cringed at the look Ellie shot over her shoulder at them. He pulled his horse to a stop and dismounted, then helped Jennifer down from her horse. “Try to talk to her if she will listen,” he said softly.

Ellie scowled at how late it was. “Asshole,” she hissed in Abelas’s direction as she grabbed the pack from the back of her saddle and dropped it on the ground. She wasn’t in the mood to spend another night with them. She just wanted to head towards a city, rent a room and figure out where she was going from there. An ache tried to settle into her heart at the thought of leaving Abelas, but she pushed it down, tried to ignore it. This whole thing had gone completely tits up.

Jennifer took baby Olivia from Solas and looked over to Ellie. “I’ll do my best,” she murmured before heading over to the other woman. Her face was red as she unwrapped her bedroll on the ground. “Hey, mind if I join you? Too much testosterone over that way.” She nodded her head back the way she had come. “And I wanted to see how you were holding up.”

Ellie gave a half-hearted shrug as she rolled out her bed, grateful that it was warm enough outside that she didn’t have to sleep in a tent. She refused to share one with Abelas, and she really didn’t fancy crawling into one with Jennifer and Solas. “What’s wrong? You can’t handle all the ancient elvhen stupid, either?” she asked as she smoothed out the bedroll and then sat on it to pull off her boots. “Can’t say I blame you. Sorry to leave you with the two of them, but I’m done. I just can’t anymore.”

Jennifer looked back over to see Solas and Abelas putting up the tents and shook her head as she sat on the ground, holding her baby carefully as she studied Elowyn. “I wanted to apologize. If I hadn’t been so worried, things might have turned out differently. I would hate to see you go. I rather like you. You are family, you know?” She studied the other woman a moment, seeing the hurt in her eyes. “And they still need us. They need our help with the Veil. Probably more importantly, to keep on them when they try to do stupid things. And yes, I’ve seen what good it has done so far. What you and Abelas have is good. I would hate to see it destroyed because of this.”

“They need us?” Ellie asked, glancing over to where Solas and Abelas stood. “Why? Don’t they have all the power they need now to do whatever they want? I mean, that was the whole point of that trip through the eluvian, right?” There was more bite in her voice than was probably necessary, but she was still angry and a bit frightened about what had happened to Abelas. “I’m not so sure I’m in the mood to help,” she said bitterly. “Do you blame me for feeling like this? You didn’t want Solas to do it, and he knows more about this stuff than any of us. He could’ve handled it better than Abelas could and you still didn’t want him to be the one to do it.”

Jennifer gave her a sheepish smile, looking back over to the both of them. “It was selfish of me to do so and no, I don’t blame you for feeling that way. I was wrong to question it. Abelas is still the same as ever. He just has his powers restored and his leg healed. And I don’t know about you, but I think it’s good that they still need us even though they are crazy powerful. Solas said he wanted to try something from my Gramma’s spellbook. A sort of spin on calling the corners. With four of us and our abilities, we would be able to take down the Veil with a more gentle touch than the two of them alone.”

Ellie pursed her lips. “Somehow, I actually believe that,” she said. She drew her knees up and wrapped her arms around them, scrunching her toes into the bedding. “He just seems… different. I don’t know.” She sighed and rested her chin on her knees, the anger starting to subside and a sadness settling into her chest. “It’s like he’s not him now. He’s him and her. And that’s just too weird for me. What am I supposed to think? Every time I kiss him, every time we, you know, is she going to be in there judging me? Affecting the way he sees me? Influencing everything about him? I don’t like this.”

Jennifer chuckled at that. “That’s a disturbing thought, but I don’t think it’s like that. I’d say it’s more like being pregnant, but I don’t think that imagery is going to make it any better for you.” She snickered at the thought and shook her head the next moment. “Nope, definitely not.” She watched Ellie for a moment, the little dragon had plopped down from the sky and curled up on her bedroll next to her feet. It had taken quite the liking to the elf. “Abelas was already within Mythal’s service. Carrying around that part of her from the Temple. Bound to her service. This isn’t any different. You can’t say that he is different until you talk to him. This is hurting him as much as it’s hurting you. He looked like a kicked puppy when you weren’t looking at him.”

“Good,” Ellie snapped, then instantly felt bad for it. She didn’t know what to think or what to feel. A lump formed in her throat and she tried to swallow it. It just seemed so foolish to her that Abelas would agree to carry Mythal’s soul without even knowing all the consequences. But it broke her heart to think that she would hurt Abelas if she left. She loved him, damn it all, she truly loved that grumpy old elf. And she didn’t want to imagine her life without him. The real him. Her eyes prickled again and she hastily wiped at them. A sniffle escaped her and she rested her forehead on her knees to hide her face from Jennifer. “I don’t know,” she said quietly. “I just don’t know.” 

Jennifer bowed her head, pressing her lips thin at Ellie’s admission. “I am sorry, it is my fault. Don’t take it out on Abelas. He was just doing what he and Solas thought needed to happen. The only thing that’s really changed about him is that he’s not limping. Hopefully now he will stop wishing about his death to come swiftly.” She studied the other woman for a moment. “I hate seeing you so down. You two are so good for each other. That old grump needs you more than he’ll let on, you know?”

“I thought he had-” Ellie stopped herself short and looked up, the ache in her heart worsening. He hadn’t mentioned wanting to die in quite a while. At least, not to her. Had he started to feel that way again and hadn’t said anything to her? “Why didn’t he…” She trailed off again, not knowing that to think. She looked at Jennifer again. “How do you know that he hasn’t changed? Have you even talked to him since he did this? Because I haven’t and I’m pretty sure you and Solas were behind us the whole way back. You don’t know,” she insisted, and turned to lay on her side. This whole thing was starting to make her head hurt.

Jennifer reached over and poked at the woman’s hip. “Stop being a sour puss. You know he hasn’t changed because he isn’t suddenly up and dancing or turning into a dragon. You two should be going at it like rabbits right now because he can stand up without using that crutch any more.” 

“Ha!” Ellie laughed bitterly. “Yeah, no, that isn’t happening.” She crossed her arms tightly over her chest and curled up, thinking hatefully that it should have been Solas, that Jennifer wouldn’t be making light of this if it had been her love instead of Abelas.

Jennifer shook her head and gently rocked her daughter as she fussed. “Yes, she is being silly, isn’t she?” she cooed at her little one, then looked to Ellie again. “Where will you go?”

“I’ll go where I’m needed,” Ellie answered sharply. “I’ll find a place that needs healers and I’ll get back to work, same as it was before I met that jackass!” she said, turning and shouting the last bit over her shoulder at Abelas before she threw herself back down on the bedroll with a flop. Okay, so she was acting immature now, but she was tired and hungry and she really didn’t give a shit.

Jennifer winced at the harsh tone and she sighed. “At least think about staying for the ritual.” There was only one person who could convince her that Abelas was the same, and that was the elf himself. “I’ll go make something to eat, send the boys out hunting or something.” She stood up and shook her head at the elf, but she could understand why the woman was upset. She would be a little bit more upset if it had been Solas. 

Ellie didn’t say anything as she heard Jennifer get up and start preparing something to eat. A sad frown crossed her lips as the little dragon crawled over her and sat itself on the bedroll to look at her. She lightly scratched his head, sighing sadly. “How about you just go over there and bite him on the ass for me?” she asked quietly. “Shoot little fireballs at him? Set his bedroll on fire for being a dumbass.”

Solas frowned as he watched Jennifer; obviously she hadn’t been as successful at talking to Ellie as they’d hoped. He waited until she had the fire started before he beckoned her over. “It’s alright, Vhenan,” he said, drawing her into his arms and pressing a kiss to her head. “Perhaps it is best if we stay out of it,” he said, looking to Abelas. “You need to talk to her. Let her see that you are unchanged.” He gave a sigh. “We should have discussed this with her more before it happened. It is my fault; I was too focused on our task, I never considered that things might turn out differently.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. More problems caused by his lack of forethought. 

Abelas looked over towards Elowyn, his heart sinking as he remembered earlier that day. “I am not certain she would even want to be near me, let alone listen to my explanation.” He looked back to the fire, watching as Jennifer started to prepare the fish that he had caught in the nearby stream while she had been talking with Ellie. “Perhaps I should let her eat first.” 

Solas gave a nod and led them over to the fire, grabbing up little Olivia who was trying to crawl towards it. “Ah-ah, da’len,” he lightly scolded her, smiling as she gave him a big drooly smile and grabbed for his face. “The food smells delicious, as always, Vhenan,” he said as Jennifer prepared plates for them. He looked over at the elf still curled on the bedroll. “Ellie, come eat with us,” he invited. “You need the energy.”

“Not hungry,” she lied, trying to ignore the enticing smell of the fish. She was being stubborn, she knew that, and she didn’t care. The little dragon chirped at her in a scolding sort of way and she narrowed her eyes at him. “You eat it then,” she hissed in a whisper, trying to give it a shove away from her. “Go on. Stubborn thing.”

Abelas gave a sigh at the mutterings he could hear and he shook his head. He stood up and gathered Ellie’s plate into his free hand and gave both Solas and Jennifer a look before he turned and walked out to where the elf had spread out her bedroll. He stopped a few feet away from her, watching as the dragon stayed at her side. “I thought I was the only one allowed to be bitter and stubborn.”

Ellie’s spine went a little stiff to hear him speak to her. “Yeah, well, I figured we could all be pissy and grumpy together,” she muttered. She chewed her lip, not knowing if she wanted to talk to him or if she wanted to tell him to leave her alone. A tear slid from her eye and she was grateful her back was to him so he couldn’t see it. She swallowed harshly before she spoke, making sure she kept her voice level. “What do you want, Abelas?”

The sentinel felt a surge of guilt at the sadness of her voice, knowing that it was by his fault that it was there in the first place. “I never meant to hurt you,” he murmured as he stepped closer, “They wanted me to talk to you again, but I am not certain there is anything that I can say to prove to you that I am still myself.”

She drew a long breath through her nose. The least she owed him was to hear him out, right? Slowly, she pushed herself up and turned to look at him, wiping her eyes and hoping she didn’t look as miserable as she felt. She met his eyes, seeing that he looked hurt as well. “Aren’t you even going to try?” she asked. Maybe that was what bothered her, that he just expected her to be okay with all of this weirdness going on without so much as a simple explanation. 

“Of course. I’m stubborn like that, but you should eat first. Then we can talk,” he said, offering the plate to her, “I will try to answer what questions you have.” He moved to sit down where he stood, setting his own plate on his knees while he studied her. She had become so important to him and he was certain that if she hadn’t been there pushing him harder, he wouldn’t still be breathing. “Mythal’s soul did not change me. She is held inside me, as a reliquary would protect a sacred item, her power added to my own.”

A scowl crossed her face and she snatched her plate from him, unable to deny her hunger anymore. He knew her too well. She ate for a moment, trying to calm herself as she stared at him. He looked the same, for the most part, save for the fact that he didn’t appear to be in pain like he had for so long and for the sadness she could see in his eyes. She swallowed down a bite of fish, feeling guilty, knowing that it was her fault for his sadness. Oh how she wanted to trust him. To believe that he really was still him. After a moment, she set her plate in her lap with a sigh. “I just wish we’d had time to talk about this before it happened,” she said, meeting his eyes. “You know? Instead it was just like, oh hey Ellie, we’re gonna completely change the man you love, you’re fine with that, right?”

“Ma lath...” He searched her face, studying her eyes. “I agree that we should have talked with you more. Told you what to expect. I truly did not think anything of it, as I have long since been Mythal’s protector, keeper of her temple and Sentinel. I have always been prepared to do what must be done. I was careless and foolish, my heart. I should have known not to have place you on the spot like that.”

It made her lip tremble to hear him call her ‘ma lath.’ Her heart wanted her to fling herself into his arms, to trust him, to believe that he was still the same grumpy old sentinel she’d somehow managed to fall in love with. But her pride made her stubborn, her mind told her to be cautious. She set her plate aside and got to her knees, walking on them across the grass until she was eye to eye with him. She stared hard at him as if trying to see something deep inside that had changed, something that told her that her suspicion was right. But she didn’t see it. “Tell me it’s still you,” she said quietly but firmly. “Promise me you’re still the man I fell in love with.”

He felt a surge of joy at her question and he set his plate aside, lifting his hand to gently cup her face. He brushed his thumb over the trails of tears just under her eye before he met her gaze. “Ma lath, it is still me. Just me. I will even limp around to prove it.” He would do a lot more if it meant he could get her to smile. To accept him. To forgive him for what he had done. “I am sorry that I have brought that into question.” 

Somehow, and she didn’t know exactly how, but somehow she could tell that he wasn’t lying. It was him, really him. She cupped his face, a watery smile crossing her lips. “You ever do something like this to me again and I will kick you in the dick,” she warned before she pressed her lips to his, her eyes screwing shut. What had she almost done? She’d almost walked away from her love, given up on him in a moment of fear. “I love you, you grumpy old bastard,” she breathed against his lips and kissed him again as more tears slipped from her eyes.

He let his eyes slip closed in absolute relief, wrapping his arms around her, holding her tightly to him as he kissed her back. “You are the most infuriating, passionate woman I have ever met. I am a better man for it.” He pulled back, kissing the tears on her cheek. “I am sorry that I hurt you,” he apologized, slipping his fingers through her hair. 

“It’s okay,” she whispered, leaning her forehead against his, letting him play with her hair. It soothed her to feel his fingers slide through her hair like that. “Abelas, promise me that you won’t do something like this again without giving us time to talk about it. If I’d understood beforehand, I wouldn’t have freaked out. Don’t keep things from me,” she begged. “Forgive me for my reaction… even if you did deserve it.” A tiny giggle escaped her on the last, ruining the effect.

He smiled at her, pressing a kiss to her nose, then her forehead. “You have my word, Elowyn.” He bowed his head, pressing his face into her neck. “Creators, I am not certain what I would have done had you left.” He chuckled quietly, “I am sorry to remember the time when I could not be free of you fast enough. Now the very thought makes me sick.” 

Ellie wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. “I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I don’t know what I would have done if I’d left either.” She squeezed him again, then pulled back and reached for her plate. With her free hand, she tugged him to stand and led the way back over to the fire, giving Solas and Jennifer a sheepish little smile. “I’m sorry for the fit I threw,” she said as she and Abelas sat down. She took a deep breath and pushed her hair out of her face. “Okay, so tell me more about this ritual…”


	11. Chapter 11

Varric stood at the docks, watching the ship carrying Cullen and Lindsey being tied off to the pier. He had been surprised to get a letter from his friends, insisting on a visit. Especially with Lindsey as far along in her pregnancy, he knew Cullen had to be going crazy with worry for her. Maker knew how much trouble and work it had taken them to even put a bun in the oven, they certainly didn’t need any more complications. He grinned as he saw Lindsey appear on the deck, waving at him. 

Oh it felt good to stand on something solid again. Lindsey didn’t even wait for Cullen as she hurried towards Varric. “Dry land!” she cried happily as she walked to him as fast as her belly would allow. She threw her arms around the dwarf and hugged him tightly. “I may have to give serious consideration to that house here in Kirkwall like you mentioned. I don’t know if I want to get back on that damned boat again,” she muttered. 

Cullen followed Lindsey, carrying their travel packs. “I may have to agree with you on that one, love.” He could still feel the rocking of the boat as if the very earth beneath their feet were moving. “Are you certain that you would be able to make the trip back?” He sighed and gave Varric a tired smile. “It is good to see you. Even though I am certain I almost had a heart attack on her behalf. I just don’t know how good this trip is for the baby,” he worried. 

Varric laughed. “Easy there, Curly. I’m sure mother here knows what she can and can’t do. At least I would hope. And, if you would like an extended stay, I think that could easily be arranged.” He smiled at Lindsey, “I’ll admit, I was a bit surprised to get your letter. I thought you moving out to your little cottage by the woods early was the game plan before baby was born. Couldn’t sit still, could you?”

“I’ve still got at least six more weeks. That’s plenty of time to make it back before baby comes. Besides, we had to come congratulate you on being named viscount,” Lindsey said. She gave Varric a little nudge. “Come on, show me around! Or, you know, at least the Hanged Man. I never did get to play Dragon Age Two.” She gave Cullen an appreciative smile as he carried their bags. “Sorry. I wish I was a little more useful,” she said before she went on to explain, “Jen was the one who always played the video games. I never really played until, well, until I saw Cullen on the screen,” she admitted, blushing slightly. “Then I knew I had to give it a go. But before that, I never really paid much attention, so I don’t really know Kirkwall all that well.”

Varric held a hand to his chest, looking offended. “What? You didn’t play to see your favorite dwarf with the heart of gold?” He clucked his tongue at her, but smirked the next minute as he looked to Cullen. “Sheesh Curly, of course you would steal the spotlight. It’s like the Winter Palace all over again,” he teased as he turned to lead them through the city, “Let’s get you two settled into the room I had made up for you. Then we can grab the Seeker and have some lunch at the Hanged Man.” He offered his arm to Lindsey, “You’ll have to forgive the mess. I was only just able to get a few things pushed through. Rebuilding is taking a bit longer than I’d like.”

The promise of sleeping in a bed that didn’t rock and slide across the floor sounded divine at this point. Lindsey took Varric’s arm, looking this way and that as he led them. “Yup. No idea where we are. I really should’ve played that game,” she muttered. “So where’s Cassandra?” 

Varric chuckled as he led the two of them up through the streets of Kirkwall, past Lowtown and into Hightown. It was one of the things that he didn’t like about being Viscount. The walk home seemed so much further than he would have liked it to be. “Oh, that’s my fault. I finished a new chapter last night and I may have surprised her with it this morning. It was like trying to pull a bear off a fresh kill. I let her be so I wouldn’t lose an arm when I told her it was time to meet you at the docks,” he said with a smirk as they made it to the steps of the Viscount’s Keep. “I tried to get Bran to let me stay in the Hanged Man, but I didn’t want to listen to him complain about how it isn’t tradition.”

Lindsey was nearly out of breath by the time they reached the keep. “Whoa,” she breathed, looking around at it as they entered. “Look at you, all fancy-schmancy in this place,” she teased as Varric showed them to a large sitting room, where Cassandra was curled up on a couch with her nose practically glued to the parchment in front of her. “ _ Hello,  _ Cassandra,” Lindsey called loudly, a smirk playing across her lips. “So nice of you to come greet us.”

Cassandra gave a start and looked up. “Oh!” she gasped and reluctantly put down the papers in her hand. “That was faster than I thought,” she said as she got up. Poor Cullen and Lindsey looked exhausted from their trip. “It was not my fault,” she insisted. “He has kept this from me for days and only decided to share with me this morning. I think he just wanted to make himself look better by being the one to greet you.” She pursed her lips and cocked an eyebrow at Varric. “You’re trying to get me in trouble, dwarf.”

“What? Me? Get you in trouble? I am offended,” he teased as he went over to her, tugging her down for a quick kiss, “I absolutely did not leave you here so Bran would think I was somewhere still in the Keep and leave me alone for a few hours.” He grinned back at Cullen and Lindsey, “Come on, I had the guest room made up for you. It’s a lot less pompous than the rest of this place. And the city guard is stationed down the hall in the main room.” 

Cullen’s eyes widened as Varric opened up the door to the guest suite and he looked around at the cozy place, a warm fire already crackling away, the bed covers already turned down for them. “Maker’s breath Varric. If this is the guest room, I’d almost hate to see yours. Do you need a map to the bed?” He couldn’t believe how lavish this all was. 

“Bedddd,” Lindsey drawled, going to it and flopping backwards. “Oh, I’m done,” she murmured as the squashy mattress just seemed to swallow her up. She laid a hand over her stomach as the little one kicked and squirmed. “Stoppit. Mommy’s trying to sleep,” she grumbled before she forced her eyes open and grinned over at Varric. “That’s it. I’m moving in,” she teased. “And you’re never getting me out of this bed.” But her stomach growled in hunger as Cullen set down their bags and she gave a groan. “I guess we’d better eat first, then I can spend the rest of my life sleeping.” She tried to sit up, gave a grunt, and fell back when she couldn’t quite manage it. “Cullen? Help? I’m stuck again.”

Varric laughed as Cullen went to Lindsey’s side, sitting with her on the bed. “Ah, stay there. I’ll have the kitchens make something for us to eat. We can visit the Hanged Man later when you’ve rested up. It’s more fun at night anyway.” He couldn’t stop the grin on his face as he saw a look of relief pass over Cullen’s at the idea. “That’s what I thought.” He smiled and then tilted his head, realizing something. “Ah, didn’t you all have a mabari you were bringing? Did you leave him to guard the house?”

“Yeah, we decided to leave him at home. Figured you wouldn’t want that big drooling mess all over your house,” Lindsey said with a laugh. “We asked someone to take care of him until we get back. He’ll be fine.” She reached over and patted Cullen’s hand. “Should’ve seen the look he had on his face when we left him behind. Made Cullen feel guilty the whole way here.” She paused and snickered again. “I hate to see how you do when this baby gets here if you can hardly even say no to your dog.”

Cullen chuckled and rubbed her belly carefully, feeling a little kick against his palm. “I know. I will be utterly ruined. At everyone’s beck and call.” He leaned over and pressed his lips to hers, giving her a small smile. “I can think of worse fates,” he murmured as he felt his heart full to bursting with the thought of his family, “Have I told you today how beautiful you are?” 

“Charmer,” she muttered. “That’s it. We’re getting your eyes checked if you think all of this,” she paused and gestured at herself, “is beautiful. I feel more like a fat cow.” She groaned and tried to push herself up again, suddenly aware that they were dangerously close to being far too sappy in front of their friend. It took a couple of tries, but finally she managed to get to her feet. “Don’t laugh at me, Varric,” she said in a playfully warning tone when she saw the look of amusement on his face. 

Varric laughed, holding up his hands in defense. “No no, don’t mind me. This is literature gold, just be warned I’m taking notes,” he teased as he backed up, “I’ll send for that lunch. You two just relax until then. Shouldn’t take too long.” He smiled at them before he shook his head, moving back out into the main area with Cassandra. He had to write that shit down.

* * *

 

Lindsey craned her neck as she watched the man go before she called out, “You can come out now, Varric. Bran’s gone. Again.” She snickered as she rearranged the cards in her hand. They’d spent the afternoon out in the gardens, visiting and playing Wicked Grace, but the best part had been watching Varric trying to avoid Bran. She reached for another bite of the little meat and cheese tray that had been brought out to them, and she snickered again. “So mature,” she teased Varric as he came out of hiding. “I truly think you’re going to stress that man out so bad his hair will start falling out.”

Varric straightened his tunic as he came out from his hiding spot, slipping back into his seat next to Cassandra as he picked up his hand again. “Freckles, I cannot tell you how much sooner I am going to go bald because of that man and his micromanaging. Varric you can’t do this, Varric you can’t do that.” He shook his head and drew another card from the deck. “It’s easier to avoid him when I have a larger group of friends to play defense,” he grinned over at her. 

“Although it is amusing to watch,” Cassandra said, trying to stop herself from smiling too much. Bran annoyed her, but it was always funny to watch Varric argue with him or try to avoid him. She tipped her head curiously and stared at her cards. “What does it mean when you have one pair and three of a kind at the same time?”

“Ugh, I fold,” Lindsey said and tossed her cards on the table, knowing Cassandra had her beat. 

“What?” Cassandra asked, blinking her eyes innocently.

Varric felt a surge of affection for the woman at the same time he felt that age old frustration from trying to do his best to teach her the game. He gave her points for her unwavering resolve to keep at it, no matter how hopeless it was. “You have the best luck I have ever seen, now if we can just get you to remember what’s what to and what’s not to announce your hand at the table.” He tapped his finger against his lips. “I wonder if I could liken the game to swordfighting. I’d bet good money that you’d remember that.”

She gave him a dry look. “Perhaps if the rules were not so confusing, I wouldn’t have to keep asking,” she said, her tone just as dry. The sun was beginning to set, the sky washed with shades of pink and purple, but a strange crackling green on the opposite horizon caught her eye and the cards slipped from her fingers. “What is that?” she asked, rising to her feet to get a better look, squinting towards the east. She turned… no, there it was again to the north… and the south… “Maker, it’s all around us. What is it?”

Cullen’s eyes went wide, he could feel magic starting to fill into the air around him. It was like a wave, brushing over them all. He shivered from it as he pulled Lindsey into his arms as he stared up at the sky. “Maker’s breath,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper, “What’s happening?” He felt a jolt of fear down his spine as he realized the only thing that it could be. “He did it. Solas brought down the Veil.”

A cold fear washed through Lindsey as she watched the cracks in the sky grow larger by the minute. “I don’t think it’s completely down yet,” she breathed. She could feel it too, the magic starting to fill the air. “How could they do this?” she whispered. She had to swallow harshly before she could speak again. “How could Jen  _ let him  _ do this?” The more she thought about it, the more her heart raced. Why hadn’t her sister stopped Solas? Was she part of this? Had something happened to her? A sharp, tight pain low in her belly made her suck air through her teeth. “Ow. Shit,” she hissed.

Varric felt the hair on the back of his neck standing up as he surveyed the skies. “Well, shit,” he breathed, “Damn it all. The city is going to tear itself apart with this chaos. Fuck, I thought Chuckles had decided to wait to do this?” He looked with Cullen as they both heard Lindsey’s pained cry. “Ah, hell. Breathe, Lindsey. I’m sure this isn’t as bad as it looks. No need to get worked up.”

Cullen was trembling as he held Lindsey, looking her over for any sort of injury, but could see nothing of the sort on her. He paused as he felt something in himself. A sort of prickling feeling one would usually get from resting on their hand or foot for too long and then got the pins and needles feeling. Except there was no pain in this, it was almost a pleasant sensation. “This is odd. I feel…”

“Strange?” Varric finished for him. He didn’t like the feeling, it was a bit unsettling and he looked around at the rest of them. “Maybe we should get inside. I’d hate to be out here if it starts raining demons on us. Not too mention, I have some Viscount-ly duties thanks to Chuckles,” he said. He looked to Cassandra, slipping his hand in hers, “Gotta make sure you guys are safe first.”  

Cassandra could feel the magic too, and she didn’t like the sensation at all. Her hand closed tightly in Varric’s as she stared at her free hand, trying to understand it all. Did this mean that everyone now was a mage? The thought was unsettling. She thought about testing it, trying to see if what she theorized was true, but decided against it. She had no idea what she was doing even if she could somehow use magic now. “Are you alright?” she asked Lindsey, hearing the other woman breathing heavier than usual.

“I’m fine,” Lindsey answered, despite another twinge of pain. She was just upset, she just needed to calm down. Plot ways to murder Solas in his sleep for this. Something to help her stop freaking out. A strange sort of bubbling sound met her ears and she screamed as their table was suddenly overturned as a tall, spindly demon appeared out of nowhere. “Not fine! Not fine!” she cried, backing quickly away from the creature. Before she could react more than that, the demon lashed out with a long arm, swiping at all of them, and hit her hard enough to knock her several feet away.

Cullen was down at Lindsey’s side the same time Varric had pulled a handful of small throwing knives from his boot to attack the demons with as Cassandra punched her way through a few that surrounded them. His eyes went wide at the pain Lindsey seemed to be in, but the thing that caught his eyes was the wetness now between his love’s legs. “You... Maker preserve me! Did your water just break?” Fear for both her and their unborn child surged through him and he felt it lancing at his heart. “It’s too soon.”

“I know,” she said, her voice strained and her face screwed up against the pain. Fear filled her, fear for the baby and fear of the demons that surrounded them. She tried to will away the pain, to somehow stop her body from doing what it was doing, but it was no use. “I can’t stop it,” she nearly whimpered. “Baby’s coming now.”

“Now?!” Cassandra cried, her eyes widening as she fought off the demons. “You can’t have the baby now!” She drew a knife from her belt and slashed at a demon, her mind working furiously. She didn’t know the first thing about babies or pregnancy, and she doubted if they could get a midwife with demons popping up all over the city. “Cullen! Get her inside! Varric and I will handle these demons!” she barked.

Varric pulled his knives from the two demons he hit, moving to stand between them and Curly so he could get Lindsey inside. “Remind me to have some stern words with Chuckles the next time we see him,” he told Cassandra as he ducked and sidestepped another monster as it swung for him, his knife hitting it a moment later between the eyes. “And I don’t care what Bran says any more, I am carrying my crossbow with me at all times!”

“Agreed!” Cassandra said as she took out another of the monsters. As long as she and Varric could provide enough of a distraction for Cullen to get Lindsey inside, that was what she cared about now. She wondered if there would be an end to the demons or if they would just keep coming now that the Veil was disappearing. She could see the greenish glow rolling across the sky, growing bigger and bigger. And yet, still… “I think I might prefer to fight demons out here than to be inside with them right now!”

Varric winced at the thought as he threw another knife at another demon. “At least we know what’s in there will eventually stop. I’m not so certain about the whole world falling apart.” He tried to think over what Solas had said made spirits into demons. The shock of coming over into the world forcefully. “Hopefully we won’t see these demons for very long!” He was really missing his crossbow in that moment.

She wished she’s carried her sword with her. Like Varric, she didn’t give a damn what anyone thought; she was carrying her sword with her at all times from now on. A curse slipped from her lips as yet another demon appeared. “I am going to murder that apostate the next time I see him,” she growled as she fought off one demon and then another. Her eyes went wide when she saw the massive pride demon appear behind Varric, raising its arm in preparation to attack. “VARRIC!” she screamed and dove for him, knocking him flat on his chest as she laid over him. Pain lanced through her back and her skull and the next thing she knew, Cassandra’s world went dark and silent.

Fear, cold and unhindered lanced through him as the air was knocked from his lungs, Cassandra’s weight heavy over him. She was too still. “Cassandra?!” He rolled over, gathering her in his arms, panic filling his chest as he tilted her head up. “Maker, no, please no. Cassandra! Wake up!” His head jerked up as he heard a roar of pain from the pride demon that had been attacking them. His eyes widened as he saw two forms, spirits that were dressed to the nines in armor with weapons that shimmered in the light. They stood defensively between the demon and himself. He looked back down to Cassandra, shaking her again, “Please wake up! I won’t forgive you if you are dead!”

“Take her and go!” one of the spirits shouted, twirling his sword in his hand as he faced down the pride demon. “We will handle this creature.” This was so unexpected, for the world and the Fade to become as one again. But it would not be easy, there was a war brewing already, and the chaos would spread far and wide before the world was made right again. “GO!” he shouted again at Varric, then attacked the demon.

“Shit,” Varric growled out and lifted Cassandra into his arms as best as he could. “The only time I regret being a dwarf,” he muttered and hurried towards the door as the spirits behind him clashed with the demons. Whatever the hell was going on, he was happy there was someone on their side. He did not want to end up like the last Viscount. 

The door opened up for him as he got near and he wasn’t surprised to see Bran behind it, slamming the heavy thing shut behind him and locking it. “Locks aren’t going to cut it, better move the whole wardrobe over that thing!” He knelt on the floor, easing Cassandra back on it as he cupped her cheek in his hand. He could feel tears in his eyes as she remained still. “Come on, Seeker. Our story’s just getting started. You can’t do this. You can’t.”

It was as if she heard his voice from very far away, her head swimming with pain as she tried to will her eyes to open. Oh, she just wanted to sleep until the pain was gone. But she forced her eyes open, colors blurry and vague as she focused as best she could. “Varric?” she rasped, wincing at the sound of her voice and the jolt of pain through her head. He didn’t look hurt and it made the corner of her mouth twitch in a smile. She was happy to be alive, but she would’ve just as happily given her life for his. She winced as she touched the back of her head and her fingers came away sticky with blood. With a groan, she sat up and forced herself unsteadily to her feet. She had to grab onto his shoulder to stop herself from falling. “I need my sword. And my armor.”

Varric crushed her to him, holding her tightly. “Shit, Seeker, breathe for just five minutes. I thought I lost you,” he murmured into her shoulder, his heart was pounding so fast that he was certain it would burst out at any moment. “Shit, if those spirits hadn’t shown up and started fighting off the demons, we would both still be out there and dead.” He pulled back, looking her over as he gingerly touched the back of her head. “Fuck. You are going to need stitches.” He worried. He could feel something else, like a tingling in him, but it was faint. He didn’t know what it was and it only added to his anxiety. 

“Spirits?” she asked, glancing out the window. She gasped when she saw them, fighting the demons, protecting the house. If only they’d shown up a minute or two earlier, maybe she could still be out there fighting. She grit her teeth and stood up straighter. Oh, she wanted to be in this fight. It seemed the best way to release some of her anger for Solas. “Get me a healing potion,” she growled. “This isn’t over.”

“Cassandra, no,” Varric insisted, “We need to fortify this place. I’m sure Aveline already has the guards up and at it. She didn’t want to get caught with her trousers down after what happened with the Qunari threat. You have to trust me on this one, Cass. We need to help Cullen and Lindsey first. I’m not putting you out there until I’m certain you don’t have a concussion. And even then, I’m not going to let you go. Damn it, you aren’t allowed to scare me like that!” 

“What was I supposed to do? Stand there and watch that monster kill you?” she shot back. She realized then how badly it must have scared him; she couldn’t recall him ever scolding her like that. She drew a long breath through her nose, calming her nerves. She was being too rash again. “Alright. Just… make this damn headache go away,” she muttered as her skull throbbed painfully again. She turned to head deeper into the house, hearing a pained cry from somewhere within. “Maker, it’s too early for that baby to come,” she breathed. Now had to be the most inconvenient time for such things. There was too much happening at once. “Andraste save us all.”


	12. Chapter 12

Solas’s arms shook as he held them towards the sky, chanting softly in ancient elven, watching as the veil crackled and broke, dissolving before his eyes. He could feel the magic pouring back into the world. Choosing to have Jennifer and Ellie help him and Abelas take down the veil had been an excellent decision. By channeling his and Abelas’s power through the women as if the four of them together were a circuit, the veil was coming down smoothly, more gently than if he had attempted the task alone. 

He paused his chanting for only a moment. “It is nearly finished,” he said encouragingly. He knew the others couldn’t be any more comfortable than he was at that moment, his shoulders aching and arms weakening from holding his hands above his head for so long. Had it hurt this bad when he created the veil? He couldn’t remember. And he had been so distraught over Mythal’s death at the time that any pain only amplified his anger anyway.

He cast a protective glance over at his daughter, reassuring himself that she still slept soundly in the little sling they used to carry her in. Jennifer’s dragon was curled protectively around the babe, its eyes warily watching the sky. 

Solas looked up again, the green light from the four directions of the sky werre growing closer and closer to each other. Any moment now, the veil would be gone forever and the world would be returned to the way it once was. The way it was always supposed to be. But before peace could be established, they had to deal with the evanuris, who he suspected were waiting for him just on the other side. 

And he was ready for them.

Ellie grit her teeth as she breathed harshly through her nose. She felt weak, her own magical power draining with every moment that passed. She’d never worked magic like this before, had never been part of something so big. And if it hadn’t been for Abelas and Solas boosting her own power, she would’ve fallen hours ago. Sweat trickled down her temple as she forced her hands to stay in the air, squinting her eyes at the green light that was becoming almost too intense to look at. 

With a booming crack like thunder, it happened. The green light flashed so brightly it blinded them and all four were thrown flat on their backs upon the ground.

Stunned, it took Ellie a moment to realize where she was. “Did… did it work?” she gasped, rolling onto her side to see the others lying on the ground as she was. Shivers made her body tremble, magic more powerful than she’d ever felt before racing through her system. Was that from the spell or because the Fade and the world were one again? “Maker,” she breathed, her big eyes looking this way and that, drinking in the newness of the world as the blind spots faded from her eyes.

Even with Mythal’s power added to his own, exerting so much energy and magic into one spell over the course of hours had taken its toll on Abelas. He pushed himself up on an elbow, looking towards Ellie, chuckling at the wonderment in her eyes. He groaned as he moved to sit, reaching out a hand to give her hip a squeeze as he looked up as well. It almost brought tears to his eyes to see the world like this once again. “I never thought I would see this day, nor be apart of its creation,” he murmured. 

Jennifer had never felt so exhausted in her life. Not even the birth of her daughter felt quite like this. It was like making way for a new world. Birthing it and letting it go. She looked over at her daughter, smiling as she saw the babe was still sleeping peacefully and with a groan, she rolled over towards Solas. He had a tired look on his face as well, but he looked pleased with himself. “Exhausting, but I hope this is what you wanted? I don’t see the world on fire just yet,” she murmured, turning her face into his tunic.

A chuckle escaped Solas as he wrapped an arm around Jennifer’s shoulders. He breathed in deeply; he could feel it, the magic in the air, in the earth. He hadn’t felt something so comforting since before Mythal was murdered. Happy tears pricked the corners of his eyes and he had to swallow harshly before he could speak. “I feel as if I am home,” he whispered softly, nearly afraid that it would somehow slip away if he spoke too loudly and broke the enchantment of the moment. “I can’t believe I did this,” he breathed, his heart swelling as he hugged Jennifer again, then sat up, thinking to wake Olivia so she could see the world as it was supposed to be.

He froze before he got to his feet. Now that his vision had properly cleared, he was suddenly aware that they were being watched. His heart seemed to stop and his stomach dropped at the same time at the sight that met his eyes. 

The massive number could only be described as an army, row after row of demons lined up and waiting for a command. And there, at the front, stood not the evanuris as he’d expected, but Erimond.

“How touching,” the Tevinter mage drawled as he watched the group, a smirk growing across his lips. He took in a deep breath of the air of the real world once more, “Everyone working together to make the world a better place.” He grinned wider as he saw the looks of horror on their faces, the way the human grabbed up her baby and held it tightly to her. “Who would have thought that death was the best thing that could have happened to me?”

Jennifer felt her stomach drop, holding her baby close to her as she slipped the strap over her shoulder, backing up into Solas’s protective embrace. “No,” she breathed as she watched the man. The man who had tried to raise a demon army and apparently now had succeeded. The man who kidnapped and tortured her sister. Who plagued their nightmares. He had been somehow resurrected. “No, it’s not possible. Varric killed him.” Her eyes flickered around the horde of demons. She and the others were all so weak from the spell, she had no doubt that they would be overwhelmed if they even tried to fight such a force. 

Erimond let his eyes drift over the group, a wicked smile tugging at his lips as he landed on Ellie. A petite little elf with the curves in the right places. He licked his lips and stalked towards the group, the demons in his way parting for him. “My my, what is a sweet little thing like you doing out here in the middle of the wilds with these heathens?” he chuckled, moving fast as he grabbed her arm, tugging her up against him. “Mmm, but you have no idea how you look after I’ve been stuck in the Fade. I could think of a few uses for you, just like some of my slaves back in Tevinter,” he purred in her ear before he used his hand to grasp her chin, forcing her to look at him as he pressed his lips to hers, licking between the seam before pushing against her teeth with his tongue.

Pure disgust ripped through Ellie as she struggled to push Erimond away. Oh, she wanted to vomit. She slapped and kicked at him, trying to get him to stop, and finally grabbed his hair and yanked as hard as she could, breaking the kiss. “Get off of me!” she spat at him and stomped on his foot, but Erimond only laughed and held on tighter to her. Her skin crawled as his free hand roamed over her body. She’d never been more revolted in her life. But the more she struggled, the more he just laughed and held her tighter. “Let me go, asshole!”

Pure anger flood through Abelas when he saw the man touching Ellie, and a surge of energy came back to him. He was nearly depleted, but if he couldn’t protect the woman he loved... “Get away from her!” he growled out, focusing on the magic around him, trying to will his body to absorb the power faster. It was no use, he needed rest. With a pained cry, he called upon the last stores of his magic and created a barrier around Ellie, the force of it knocking Erimond away from her, causing him to fall in a heap to the ground. A flash of fear coursed through him as he pulled Ellie to him, pushing her behind him towards the horses. “Solas, I cannot fight them off. I need time to replenish what we’ve used up.” 

Erimond growled as he pushed himself up, pain radiating through him where the magic had hit. “Filthy knife ears. You should have learned your place in this world. It will always be under the boot of your betters,” he spat. “Fine, have it your way. I’ll let my pets rip you apart until there is nothing left.” He brushed the dirt off his robes as he stood up straighter, slicking his greasy hair back. “I would love to stay and watch, but I have other matters to deal with. Like that dwarf, the one who killed me. Where was he again? One of the filthier, Southern cities I’m certain. Kirkwall?” Erimond laughed as he moved his gaze to Solas, “Oh and your friends send their best regards. They and I had the most interesting talk on the other side.”

A slow rage burned through Solas as he let Erimond’s words sink in. He was too weak from the spell to take on such a horde; even at his full strength he didn’t know if he could’ve managed it. But he had to try. “Did they send you to do their dirty work?” he taunted, trying to buy himself time to think. He had to get Jennifer and Olivia out of there. His grip on his staff tightened as he backed Jennifer away, pushing her towards the horses. “Or are they hiding behind you, fearful of what comes next for them?”

Abelas backed away with Solas, one arm firmly around Ellie as he kept his gaze locked on the demons and the man in front of him. Oh how he wished he was at his full strength, he would have turned every last one of them into stone. Or at least a good number of them before they would have been overwhelmed. His eyes scanned the scene in front of him, there was no sign of the evanuris anywhere, but the demons had turned towards them, licking their maws as if getting ready to feast. It was probably not far off from the truth. “We cannot fight them,” he muttered only loud enough for the others to hear him. 

A scowl crossed Solas’s face. He’d counted on being stronger than the evanuris after the Veil came down. But this army… he was not prepared for this. “Close your eyes,” he hissed to the others. He hated to do it, he wanted to fight, to stop this before it could get any worse, but they needed time to regain their strength. Without any more warning than that, he spun his staff and slammed it on the ground, a brilliant flash of lightning ripping through the air. It nearly blinded him even with his eyes closed. “RUN!” he shouted, grabbing Jennifer’s arm to pull her with him. He all but threw her onto her horse before he mounted his own and spurred it forward, unsure of where to go, but knowing that they had to put as much distance between them and Erimond’s army as possible.

Abelas ran with Ellie, pulling her up onto his own horse as he grabbed the reins to her own before he spurred the beast into running, following after Solas. He heard the Tevinter mage screaming in a rage, shouting at his army to go after them, to kill them. He gripped the reins tightly as he urged his horse to go faster, the force of the wind knocking his hood back off of his head and he was certain in that moment his heart was going to burst out of this chest. “Don’t stop, don’t look back!” he called to his companions, catching sight of the dragon flying after Jennifer’s horse. 

Ellie held onto Abelas’s waist as tight as she could, just doing her best to keep her balance as they raced away. This wasn’t supposed to happen. This isn’t what they told her would happen. A fresh wave of nausea hit her as she thought about what would have happened if Abelas had not been strong enough to defend her. She could still feel Erimond’s hand on her, squeezing her ass, pinching her breast. It took every ounce of willpower she had to breathe through her nose and stop herself from vomiting. Foolishly, she turned her head and looked over her shoulder. “They’re coming!” she cried and tucked her face against Abelas’s back. 

Solas urged the horse faster, keeping Jennifer in his peripheral vision as he tried to think of an escape. They could lose the demons in the woods, but riding at this pace, the horses wouldn’t make it through the underbrush. It was too risky; they would all be thrown. Desperately, his eyes searched the treeline, hoping for a miracle as he cursed himself. He’d never forgive himself if something happened to his vhenan or their daughter. “There!” he cried, his heart giving a leap, and he pointed. A narrow path through the trees appeared. It wouldn’t stop the demons, but it would force them to slow down, and it might be enough for them to escape. “Jennifer! Go! I’m right behind you!”

Jennifer was in near tears as she guided the horse into the thick of the trees, one hand desperately clutching her baby who had woken up and was wailing at the top of her lungs. “Shhh, everything’s going to be fine!” she sobbed out, not even convincing herself of that fact as the horse bounded over a fallen tree trunk and wove through the brambles. She could still feel the impending force of the horde behind them, the sound of them crashing into the forest seeming to swallow them up.

“Abelas, hurry!” Ellie nearly sobbed. The demons were still too close, though they had bottlenecked themselves at the beginning of the path, slowing them. The horse jumped the downed tree and Ellie cried out as she was nearly unseated. Clinging to Abelas, she tried to pull herself upright again. A sob of relief escaped her as he reached back and steadied her on the horse again. “Where are we going?” she asked, trying to think of a place where they would be safe, but no place seemed safe now.

The sentinel pushed the horse faster, his eyes scanning the forest as his heart pounded in his ribcage. There had to be something, somewhere they could hide. He cursed under his breath as there was nothing but the forest that he could see. A ruined temple would have been a blessing at that point. He could find someway to gather mana, but he just didn’t have the time and… His thoughts were brought to a halt as he felt his blood run cold. “SOLAS!” he shouted as he pulled on the horse’s reins. There was a figure standing in their path and it was one he recognized. “No,” he breathed. 

The woman raised her hand as they passed her, a flash of magical energy emanating from her hand, and a satisfied little smirk crossed her lips as the demons hit the invisible wall. She watched them as they clawed at it, trying to get through, yet it held fast. She turned then to look at Solas, the smirk still on her face.

Solas was panting as he pulled the horse to a stop, his heart racing and hands shaking. He’d barely taken notice of the person in the road. “Stay on your horse,” he said to Jennifer as he dismounted his own and turned to see the person who had aided them. His eyes widened when he recognized her and his blood turned to ice. “YOU!”


	13. Chapter 13

Varric rubbed at his eyes as he leaned against his desk in his bedroom, looking over the map of the city Aveline had laid out for him. He had long since tugged the tie from his hair as he kept running his hands through it as he was apprised of the situation thus far. He let his eyes flicker over towards the bed where Lindsey was reclining next to Cullen. Cullen held a beautiful little baby boy, the look of wonder and awe on his face firmly in place since the little one had appeared. He was a born father, no one could make it look better. 

He was drawn back into the conversation when Aveline snapped her fingers at him. “Right, sorry. Between the babies, the, ah, spirits.” He looked over to the fireplace where the two that had manifested and saved Cassandra and himself from the demons in the garden stood at the ready. “And the massive army of demons suddenly attacking the city, I’m not sure what to think.” 

The Guard Captain couldn’t blame him and nodded her agreement. “Still, now isn’t the time to lose focus. I’ve had my guard round up everyone left in the city and brought them here as you asked. The great hall is pretty much packed full, but for the most part casualties have been low. Mostly due in part to the aid from the spirits, Maker knows where they’ve come from.” She looked over to the two that stood at the ready, watching the doorways with the focus of a mabari. “At least the demons will have to go through a few doors before they can get to anyone, by that point, they will be bottlenecked and easier to kill.”

Cassandra was glad to have Aveline’s help. As it was, she herself was still having a hard time concentrating, her head still throbbing even though she’d been given a healing potion. Part of her wondered what would keep the demons from materializing inside the keep, but then she couldn’t recall it ever happening before and decided that this was their best option. Besides, she was still in too much pain to think too hard about anything at the moment. She gave a sigh and looked at Varric. “I suppose you should go and say something to the people. They are bound to be frightened, understandably so. It might help to calm their fears to know we’re doing everything we can to protect them.” She didn’t much care for him having to do things like that, but at this point it was the best she could offer, to make herself not feel completely useless anyway.

Varric gave Cassandra a weary smile. “Yeah, that’s a good idea. Hopefully we can keep the masses from thinking this city is a lost cause. Remind me to thank Chuckles the next time we see him,” he muttered and straightened himself up, brushing his hair back once more. He eyed Bran as he stalked over and he glared at the object in his hands. “No, stay away. I am not wearing that thing. It’s way too gaudy for me. I’m not about to start wearing a blasted crown.” He made a face at the metal, stopping himself from rolling his eyes when the man said something about it being tradition. He looked to Cassandra for help.

If the situation were less serious, Cassandra might have goaded Varric into wearing it, encouraged Bran to keep insisting, just to see the look of annoyance on Varric’s face. As it was, she was in no such mood. She grit her teeth as Bran held it out towards Varric, still going on about how it would make the people listen or some bullshit like that. “He said no!” she snapped and grabbed Varric’s hand to pull him along towards the great hall of the keep. “If we have to use someone as bait for everyone else to escape these demons, I know who I am going to offer up.”

Despite himself, Varric chuckled and fell into an easy step next to the Seeker. “I don’t think he’s that big of a pain in the ass. Somedays, sure, but others...” He trailed off as he pushed through the doors to step out into the main hall. “He means well, it’s not his fault he’s annoying. I still think you should have taken the job as my assistant.” He grinned despite the situation. “I mean, okay, we wouldn’t get much work done, but you would be more of a sight to see than Bran,” he murmured as he slipped an arm around her waist as they walked, looking up at her.  

The corner of her mouth twitched in a smile. She loved the little compliments he gave her. Even now with the world seeming to end, he was still just as charming and silver tongued as he’d always been. “I would have, but it would have looked bad to the people of the city,” she reminded him. “The Viscount having his future wife as his assistant? Not many people would look favorably on-” She stopped with a gasp as the doors flew open with a bang. “Demons!” she cried, drawing her sword as at least a dozen of the monsters marched through the door. Her heart sank when she heard a muffled thump and she saw one of the guardian spirits dead upon the floor, dragged in by one of the demons.

Varric cursed, his hands clenching as he realized he had left his crossbow in the other room propped up against his desk. “Shit! Things can’t get any…” He trailed off as his blood ran cold as a new figure strode past the demons and the carnage, coming to stop in the middle of the hall. Hand on his hip and the other curled around his staff, the man scanned the building until his gaze landed on them both. The way he smirked at them made the dwarf want to smack it right off of his face. “No, it’s not possible. I killed you.” His hand tightened on Cassandra’s, backing them up. 

Erimond grinned as he turned towards them, looking up at the pair on the second level. “Ah, yes, well. You know how death is nowadays. Fleeting. Unfortunately for you, not so much.” He smirked wider as he inclined his head towards the dwarf and woman. “What was that? Did I hear correctly? You are Viscount of this little shit hole? How marvelous,” he drawled, watching as the dwarf backed up. “Ah ah, where do you think you are going? That’s no way to greet an old friend.” He let his eyes drag up and down the woman at his side. “And this must be Cassandra,” he purred, “Oh, I have plans for you both.”

Varric didn’t waste another moment and turned back the way they came, dragging the Seeker along with him. His heart was pounding and fear seemed to wrap around him. His thoughts circled around his friends, his only family in the world that mattered to him. If nothing else, he had to get them to safety, he wasn’t about to let Lindsey go through Erimond’s madness again. He burst through the door and barred it behind them. “Time to go. Aveline, get them into the secret passage behind that bookshelf. Hurry!”

Lindsey jerked awake. She’d been dozing as she leaned against Cullen, but the sound of Varric’s voice brought her sharply awake again. “What’s going on?” she asked, feeling like her heart was about to jump out of her chest already. “Well, besides that idiot elf tearing down the veil,” she muttered. She didn’t want to move, she was tired and sore, and felt weak. But she forced herself out of the bed, wincing with the effort. She didn’t like the look in Varric’s eyes, the true and utter fear she could see there. 

“It is Erimond,” Cassandra said curtly as she watched Aveline open up the hidden servant’s passage. She wanted to fight, to kill that bastard all over again for what he’d done to Varric, but somehow Erimond had already managed to kill one of the guardian spirits and she knew that they were outmatched and outnumbered. “We have to go now!” She held her sword a little tighter to fight the way her hand shook. She didn’t want to admit how frightened she was. And she definitely didn’t want to think about what would happen if Erimond caught them. “He is after Varric,” she explained quickly. “And if he finds out you’re here as well, he will come after you.”

Terror ripped through Lindsey and a strangled little noise escaped her as she looked to Cullen and their newborn son in his arms. She nodded and limped towards the now open passageway as quickly as her body allowed, gratefully wrapping an arm around Cassandra’s shoulders when the other woman came to help her. This shouldn’t be possible. That bastard was dead. She screwed up her face as tears formed in her eyes. “This is never going to end,” she whimpered. “We’ll never be free of him.”

Varric grabbed up his crossbow from where it was leaning against the table leg and cocked her as he watched the others filter into the passageway. A lump caught in his throat as he realized that Erimond would know where they disappeared to if they all just vanished. Even he wasn’t that stupid. There was only one way to save them. He followed after the rest of them, pausing at the bookshelf where he looked behind him and shared a look with Aveline who nodded at him. “Don’t worry, Freckles. I’m not going to let him hurt you ever again. We’ll be free of him,” he muttered to himself, his eyes lingering on Cassandra’s form as she helped Lindsey as she ducked her head, going further into the passage. “Keep them and yourself safe, Seeker,” he tried to say casually, but his voice cracked at the end as he moved quickly, slamming the door shut behind them before he turned and raised his crossbow, keeping it trained on the door.

“NO!” Cassandra cried, ducking under Lindsey’s arm as she tried to squeeze past Cullen in the narrow space. “Varric!” She raised her fist to bang on the door, but stopped as she heard a loud, booming noise coming from the room and she realized Erimond must have broken down the door. Her throat seemed to close off, tears stinging her eyes. If she made a fuss now, Erimond would find all of them. And she wouldn’t do that to her friends, wouldn’t dare let that monster anywhere near a baby. “You idiot,” she hissed, then turned to go back to Lindsey, helping her along the passage. “I will get you to a safe place. Then I’ll find a way to rescue Varric. And when I do, I’m going to  _ kill  _ him.”

* * *

 

Erimond only laughed as he busted down the door with a blast of energy, already expecting the flurry of crossbow bolts that were aimed at his head. They were easily deflected. “Ah, stupid dwarf, you already got me once with those. Not again,” he growled and swung his staff, a blast of ice encasing the weapon before he came to stop in front of the two. He raised an eyebrow at the woman that moved to stand in front of Varric. “What’s this? You go through women so quickly, Viscount,” he drew the name out, as if tasting the weight of it. “Where did the other one go? I was so looking forward to having a long conversation with  _ Cassandra. _ ” 

Aveline tightened her grip on her weapon. “Your vision must be going,” she said, her muscles tensing, ready to strike at the first opportunity. “The only one here is me.” She didn’t know Cassandra too well, but she knew how much Varric loved the woman and she would do anything to help him protect her. This whole mess had only been going on for a few hours now, and already she was sick of it. If they could stop this man, cut the head off the proverbial snake, perhaps then dealing with the rest would be a bit easier. 

Erimond growled a moment before he swung his staff again, the force of the energy knocking the two back, lifting them off of their feet as he held them against the wall. Several books clattered to the ground in heaps as he stalked forward. His aura of fury sent several more flying off of the shelves. “Do you take me for a fool?!” he bellowed, “I know who I saw and I know that she is still somewhere in this keep!” He shoved the tip of his staff under Varric’s chin, forcing his head up. “Tell me where they are and I’ll make your death relatively quick.”

Fear was coursing through his veins as Aveline and himself were quickly rendered useless. He was really going to have to invest in some runes or some crap to prepare for these kind of attacks. How did you prepare for a demon apocalypse? This man was supposed to be dead and buried. Nothing could have prepared him for this. “Yeah, like that’s going to happen,” he grit out, remembering when the man had tortured Lindsey and himself simply for the sheer pleasure of it. “Fuck you.”

The force of the magic pressing her against the wall made it hard for Aveline to breathe. She tried to push against it, to free herself, but it was like trying to stop the wind. There was nothing tangible to push back against, nothing solid to fight off. It was infuriating. “There is no one here but us!” she spat at Erimond, her voice still strong despite her lack of air. “Search all you like, do with us what you will, there is no one else here to find. You’re wasting your time.”

“Oh, we will see. I’ll make certain that my demons search every last inch of this place.” He smirked as he increased the pressure he exerted from his staff, watching as they gasped for breath, so close to passing out. “I imagine your keep is much like my homeland. Little hidden doors and lifts that the slaves think I don’t know about.” He smiled wickedly as the dwarf’s eyes widened a fraction until he won out and the two both slumped, out cold. He let them drop to the ground in a heap before he turned to the demons behind him. “Search everywhere! That bitch of his is around here somewhere and I want her alive. Take these two into the hall with the others. I have a special treat for the good people of Kirkwall.”


	14. Chapter 14

Solas warily eyed the woman in the road as he stood between her and his vhenan. “Why would you help us?” he hissed, reaching behind him to curl his fingers tightly around his staff. He doubted her motives were out of the goodness of her heart. No, if she saved them, it was to her benefit somehow. 

His heart raced as he stared at her, a face he hadn’t seen in over a thousand years. Someone he had once considered a friend. She looked younger than he remembered, but it was her. Her black hair cut level with her square jaw, the beauty marks below the left corner of her mouth and on her right cheekbone, the fiery golden brown of her eyes. Eyes that matched his gaze with an equal intensity. 

He had been wrong. Centuries of being locked away in the Fade had not weakened her as he’d hoped. She was far stronger than he was at the moment. It would take nothing for her to kill all of them with a gesture. He swallowed as his mind raced; if there was a way to talk her down, perhaps they could get out of this. “Sylaise.”

“Fen’Harel,” she returned, her voice rich and low, but with a bit of a bite to it. She wasn’t certain what to feel as she gazed upon him. For so long, she’d been so angry, plotting ways to make him pay for what he had done to her and the other evanuris. 

She looked from him to Jennifer and the babe in the human woman’s arms, then back to him. She could see the protectiveness in his stance, the look in his eyes, and it wasn’t hard to piece it all together. “You have nothing to fear from me.”

“Ha!” Solas let out a bitter bark of a laugh. He didn’t trust her for one second. “Yes, we’re willing to believe you. What is your plan? To lure us into a false sense of security only to stab us in the back at the first opportune moment? You will have to do better than that.” He strained his ears, listening for any telling sign that the other evanuris were close by, preparing to attack. But he heard nothing, not even the demons on the other side of the barrier. And somehow, that only made the hair on the back of his neck stand up even more.

“You’re afraid,” she stated. “You should be afraid after what you did to me. Locking me away, tearing me from this world. Look what you’ve done to the people! They have lost everything because of you! Because of what you did.”

Solas felt that same familiar stab of guilt, but he would not let down his guard because of it. “You think what you did undeserving of repercussion? You deserve far worse,” he snarled, feeling that hatred and pain of Mythal’s loss all over again. “You murdered Mythal!”

“I had nothing to do with her murder!”

Silence rang through the space around them at Sylaise’s outburst. Solas slightly shook his head. No, he would not believe her. They were all in on it, all of them so self-absorbed, acting like children who didn’t get their way. He’d found all of them together after Mythal’s murder, every last one of them. They were all guilty. Her denial would not fool him. “Liar,” he spat.

Sylaise drew a long breath through her nose. “I will not claim to be innocent. I made mistakes, just as all the others. I was blinded by power, greedy for more. But I did not kill Mythal. I did not help to plot her murder. Mythal and I never warred, not like she with the others. Despite my mistakes, I never stopped caring for the people. I never denied them when they asked for my help.” She pressed her lips to a trembling line, her bright eyes watery with tears. “How many more of our people could I have helped if I hadn’t been imprisoned all these centuries? How many could I have healed, have saved from the terrible lives you cursed them to? What became of the people is  _ your fault _ !” She paused and shook her head at him. “You were so hot tempered, so rash to avenge her death that you never bothered to find the whole truth!”

The slightest bit of doubt crept into Solas’s chest at her words. That much was true, when he’d discovered that Mythal had been murdered by the evanuris, when he found all of them together after her death, he’d punished the lot of them. Yet he couldn’t accept the thought that she could be innocent. “You mean to say you knew nothing of her murder?” he asked in a scathing tone. “I find that hard to believe.”

“I knew,” Sylaise answered. “Andruil confided in me that she wanted revenge for Mythal disrupting her plans, for stopping her from entering the Void again. Andruil loved it so. The hunt, the adventure. No one ever accused my sister of thinking with a level head. Those weapons she brought back from the Void…” Sylaise trailed off and shook her head. “But I thought she only meant to vent her anger, her frustration. I did not believe she would do such a thing. And so I dismissed it as such. It wasn’t until after I heard that Mythal was murdered that I realized Andruil’s words were sincere.”

“And so you did nothing?!” he cried, feeling that that made her just as guilty as the others. “Had you spoken up, it could have been stopped before it happened! You could have warned someone… anyone…  _ me!  _ I could have prevented her murder! And yet you chose to keep it to yourself.”

“And cause a war on rumor alone?” she shot back. “I would not betray my sister so. Had I known she truly meant to do what she did, I would have made it known.”  She looked to the ground, her voice softer, “It is one of many mistakes I wish I could undo.” She looked up again, her gaze hard once more. “But what you did is inexcusable. Could you not have given us even a moment to sort it all out? No, you had to punish everyone, even the people.” She looked around again as if in disbelief that she was part of this world again, to see it just as she’d remembered. The forest around them was alight with glowing energy, an ethereal feel to the very air itself. It was glorious. “But you have made it right again. You have returned the world to the way it was supposed to be. So I suppose you’ve had the opportunity to atone for your mistake.”

“It is the first step on a long journey,” Solas answered. Where was she going with this? He almost wished if she planned to attack that she would get it over with. He felt himself holding his breath, trying to anticipate her next move, her next words. “I will not allow you and the others to return to your positions of power. It will only result in more wars, more bloodshed.”

Sylaise laughed, a rich bubbling sound that filled the air. “Allow it? You are too weak right now to stop any of us.” She shook her head, her expression turning serious again. “No. I do not seek power like that again. What I want is revenge.” She could feel that anger boiling in her chest again at being unfairly imprisoned. And she knew who to blame. “And that is why I intend to help you.”

Jennifer was certain her heart was going to freeze in her chest the moment Solas named the mysterious elven woman as one of the evanuris. She had been about to step in front of Solas when the woman said she wanted revenge. She clutched her daughter tightly to her, stepping closer to Solas’s side when the next words halted her. “Help him?” she repeated, not certain she had heard correctly, “You don’t want revenge against Solas?” 

“Oh I do,” Sylaise answered. “He’s at the bottom of the list.” She met Solas’s eyes as she walked closer to the two of them. “But I cannot take on the rest of the evanuris on my own, and neither can he. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Isn’t that how the old saying goes?” She tipped her head curiously at the wailing baby in Jennifer’s arms, and a soft smile pulled at her lips. She always did have a soft spot for the little ones. Cautiously, slowly so as to show she meant no harm, she reached for the baby and gently ran her fingers through the little one’s hair. “Shush, da’len,” she soothed and her smile widened as Olivia stopped crying and blinked at her with big blue eyes. 

Jennifer nearly pulled away from the woman, but something about her was calming enough that she stood still, her eyes flickering to Solas’s questioningly. “I won’t let you hurt either of them. If you threaten their lives, don’t think that I won’t hesitate to do what I have to to keep them safe. You are as much to blame as Solas for the fall of the Elvhen. You could have been more vigilant, you could have spoken, but you remained quiet. He has more than repented for his mistakes.”

The elf tipped her nose up slightly at Jennifer. “This woman of yours is spirited,” she said, though it was hard to tell if her tone was approving or disapproving. She herself was uncertain if she liked this human or not. “As I said before, you have nothing to fear from me. Not yet, anyway. I propose a truce, until the other evanuris are dealt with. Then we can decide which of us had atoned for our choices in life and who has not.”

Solas didn’t want to trust her. But the thought of having one of them on his side, even for the time being, was appealing. Sylaise could help their cause greatly. He almost accepted, but bit his tongue. This was not his decision alone to make. The incident with Mythal and Abelas, and Ellie’s reaction thereafter, had shown him that. “A moment, please,” he said to Sylaise as he took Jennifer by the arm and walked her back towards the horses, where Abelas and Ellie stood. “Thoughts?” he asked them, wanting to take their opinions into consideration this time.

Abelas let his eyes flicker over to Sylaise, he wasn’t entirely certain that he believed her innocence. “Too many of the evanuris relied upon the powers of deception to further their own goals. I would not let my guard down around her if you do accept her offer. That being said, if she truly wanted us dead, it would be done already.” He looked to Ellie, “It is possible she is simply waiting for the opportune moment.”

“She did just save us from the demon apocalypse,” Ellie reminded the others. She understood that the others didn’t trust the evanuris, that they saw them as evil and the enemy. But she hadn’t been brought up that way. She’d always heard the elven gods were to be respected, worshiped, and somehow she felt safer with Sylaise on their side. “I think we should keep her around. Beats trying to outrun all those fuckers,” she said, jerking her head towards the demons, who were starting to give up and drifting away from the barrier.

Jennifer glanced to the demons and then to the woman who had saved them. She then looked to Solas, lifting a free hand to cup the side of his cheek. After keeping so many of his ideas, thoughts and plans to himself, she was glad that he finally asked for their opinion rather than choose something on his own. “I think Ellie is right. We should be wary, but she hasn’t harmed us yet.” She drew her thumb over his cheekbone. 

“Yet being the operative word,” Solas muttered, then sighed heavily. After exchanging a look with Abelas, he gave a nod and turned to Sylaise. It made his skin crawl as he approached her. “We will ally,” he said, stopping when he was mere inches from her. Now that he had a moment to breathe, he could already feel his power returning. In a matter of hours, he would match her in strength, if not surpass her. “But I warn you,” he said in a low, menacing tone, “should any harm come to them at your hand, you will wish you were still locked away when I am done with you.”

“Agreed,” Sylaise nodded. “So, shall we continue on?” She whistled for her hart and mounted it when it emerged from the woods. “The demons shouldn’t follow us from here. We should find a place to make camp. I’m certain you all are exhausted from your efforts.” 

Camp was a welcome sight as they settled at the edge of the woods for the night. Abelas could scarcely take his eyes off of their surroundings as for the first time in ages, the earth drew in an abundance of magic. It was making everything glow in the most beautiful light. It was starting to feel like home. He drew in a deep breath as he settled next to Ellie on their bedrolls as he observed their little camp. Jennifer cooking dinner while Solas protectively watched over their little girl, keeping one eye on Sylaise. He looked to the woman at his side, seeing the troubled look on her face. “How are you faring, ma lath?”

It took Ellie a minute to realize he was talking to her. “Huh? Oh. I don’t know,” she answered as she continued to chew on the inside of her cheek. “This is all so… strange. I think I hurt my neck turning my head so much to look at everything,” she managed to joke. She’d never seen such colors, the way they dimmed and lit up again, as if the very earth around them were drawing breath. It was beautiful and terrifying all at once. “Sorry, I know I’m not being myself. I’m just a little overwhelmed at the moment, I guess.”

The sentinel gave a small smile at that and lifted a hand to rub gently at her back. After seeing her so upset with what happened with Mythal, he felt as though he were walking on eggshells around her. He wasn’t certain how she was going to take the world changing once she’d had a moment to process it all. “It will be better once we stop the evanuris and this creature, Erimond. With balance, the world should have a relatively peaceful conversion. I would not want to see the chaos this world would be in if we had not had help from you and Jennifer.”

She turned slightly to look at him. “There’s still going to be chaos. People are still going to panic, if they haven’t already.” She sighed softly and moved a little closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. A shiver raced over her at the mention of Erimond. “Nasty bastard,” she hissed. “I don’t want to think about him right now.” She looked at Abelas again, resting her chin on his shoulder as she spoke softly, “I didn’t really get a chance to say this earlier, but thank you for saving me from him. I was really scared there for a minute.” She pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

Abelas felt the hair on the back of his neck bristle as he thought about that man, that thing that had touched her, kissed her. He growled as he looked to Ellie, lifting his hand to trace his thumb over her lips. “I should have snapped his neck for touching you in such a way, but I was too weak from the spell. Next time I see him, I will not hesitate to right the wrong done to you. If he had...” He trailed off and closed his eyes at the thought, “I would not forgive myself if he had taken you.”

“But he didn’t,” Ellie reminded him gently, leaning her forehead against his and breathing in his familiar, comforting scent. “You stopped him.” She slid her arms around his neck and hugged him, shaking as the reality of it all started to set into her. What would have happened to her if Abelas hadn’t stopped Erimond… she didn’t want to think about it. She knew what would have happened. She pushed the Tevinter mage from her mind. “I love you, Abelas,” she whispered in his ear and hugged him tighter. A thought suddenly dawned on her and she gasped, her eyes widening as both fear and excitement flooded through her. “Am… am I immortal now?” she asked breathlessly, not entirely sure she wanted to know the answer.

Abelas smiled at her. “In a sense. Over time as your connection to the Fade becomes stronger, you will not die from age.” He cupped her cheek carefully. “You may live for as long as you wish. For as long as you find reason to.” He leaned their foreheads together. “I would hope that you could find a reason or two with me around. Though, I suppose I could also be a reason for the wish of an early death. Or mine,” he chuckled. 

“Ah, if I wanted you dead, I’d have murdered you in your sleep a long time ago,” she teased, giggling slightly. She rubbed her nose against his before giving him a playful peck on the lips. She pulled away and looked around at the forest again, thinking she’d never seen a more beautiful place. “Is this really what it was like before?” she asked, her eyes full of wonder as she drank in the vision of it. 

He draped an around around her, tucking her against him as he looked around with her, taking in the details and comparing them to what he remembered. He smiled faintly at the thought. “No. This is better. It has you in it. It was vibrant, more colorful. I imagine that given the time, magic will continue to seep back into this place, the wildlife, the plants, the people. It will continue to expand and grow.” He nuzzled her hair, peering up at the sky breathing in deeply as he was content to just sit and watch the change. He knew it would not last, he felt the pull of duty calling him. The world needed protecting, Ellie needed to be safe and as long as the demons plagued the world, he would fight.


	15. Chapter 15

It had been a long moment since Varric had woken up in pain. His entire body throbbed and he could scarcely catch his breath. He took longer than usual to realize where he was or rather, where he had been when he had been knocked out. Fear flashed through him as he remembered Erimond and he groaned as he forced his eyes to open. He nearly froze at the sight in front of him. He was in the great hall, the throne room of the Viscount’s keep. He was up on the steps, on the platform between them, kneeling on the ground. In front of him was the entirety of Kirkwall, what was left of the residents. They looked up at him in fear as they were surrounded by demons that kept them in place. He suddenly had a sick sensation of what the crazed mage planned to do with him and memories of the former Viscount’s head bouncing along the floor swarmed his mind

Erimond grinned wickedly as he saw the dwarf move. “Oh excellent, you are finally awake! I was getting so terribly bored of just waiting for you to rouse.” He waved his hand at the side as he strode forward and dug his fingers into Varric’s hair, wrenching his head up to show him the people being led into the room then. “I wanted to show you just how  _ utterly _ you failed your loved ones, your city before you died. And the best part was that you had your beloved cellmate here, with her newborn son no less! I will drink your despair when I cleave your head from your shoulders, with you knowing that you couldn’t do more to protect them. Then,” he grinned over at Lindsey, “I’m going to kill the babe in front of their eyes.” 

Varric felt his heart stop as he saw everyone, Cassandra, Lindsey, Cullen, the wailing baby. He grit his teeth. “Sick bastard. Your problem is with me, you leave my family and my city alone. They’ve been through enough,” he bit out, “They’ve survived worse than this, believe me. The only thing you are going to succeed in is pissing them off.” He tried to not let his fear show to Erimond. Even now, the man’s hand in his hair, the pain was nothing like what he had done to Lindsey and himself in the Western Approach. Even then, he never wished for death. That was what was going to happen. He was going to die and there was no one here who could stop him. Everything he’d been working towards, living for. It was all going to vanish in an instant. 

His eyes landed on Cassandra and his heart ached; he didn’t want to die. Not yet. A tear slid down his cheek as he realized he wasn’t even going to die protecting her, knowing that she was safe. He was going to die, knowing he failed her. That he hadn’t been good enough.

Cassandra’s heart stopped when she saw Varric like that. “No!” she cried and tried to wrench herself away from the demons that held her. Instead, she was forced painfully to her knees, her hands bound tightly behind her back, with no chance of getting to him. Her body ached and throbbed from the fight against the demons, trying to hold them off so Cullen and Lindsey could escape at least, but it had been no use. The demons were too strong for all of them. Tears burned her eyes as fear and heartache burst in her chest. There was nothing she could do. She was helpless once again. “Maker, please,” she whispered, bowing her head to pray. It was the only thing she had left. 

“Not my baby!” Lindsey sobbed as she struggled, desperately trying to go to her child as he wailed. The demon carrying the baby set it on the floor in front of Erimond, and Lindsey thought for sure that her heart had stopped. “Not him! He’s innocent! He’s just a baby! Please, do whatever you want with me, just don’t hurt him!” Tears poured from her eyes as she begged, and she choked as she tried to continue to speak. But her pleading seemed to fall on deaf ears. “Erimond!” she snapped, her voice stronger than before. Perhaps if she could taunt him, keep his anger and attention on her, she could distract him from the wailing newborn at his feet. “It’s me you want, you sick bastard! That’s what started this whole mess, you were after me! So c’mon! Here I am!” It terrified her to speak so defiantly to him. She knew what he was capable of, she still bore the scars from it. “Or are you so pathetic that you can’t even finish what you started?” She grit her teeth, tears and snot still pouring down her face, desperate to draw his anger towards her and away from the baby. “Look at me, you fuck!”

Cullen couldn’t describe the rage that boiled in him as he helplessly watched as his son was taken from his arms, how they abused his beloved, their friends. He growled and struggled against the three demons trying to keep him in place. He was fearful of what the mage would do to Lindsey for speaking to him in such a tone, but he felt like she did. They had to do something, anything to keep the man’s attention off of their baby. “What sort of coward threatens to kill an innocent baby and mother mere hours after birth? There’s a special circle in Hell just waiting for you! If you harm them…”

Erimond rolled his eyes as he stood up from Varric and and sauntered over to Lindsey and Cullen. “Yes yes, I’ll never see the light of day again or some drivel like that, yes?” He let his eyes slide to Lindsey’s, a smirk curling his lips, “I always finish what I start. The only thing I hear now is the sweet music of your agony, though, I must admit I prefered the begging immensely more. Now!” He grinned and turned, pointing to Varric on the ground, “I would suggest that if you have any last words for the dwarf, you be quick about them.”

Cassandra clenched her jaw so hard, she thought her teeth might crack. She wasn’t ready to say goodbye. Was this really it? Was she supposed to say goodbye in front of all these people? If their lives were about to end, she felt it should have at least been a private moment. She struggled again and cried out as a blow to the back of her head made stars pop in her eyes. It was no use. She was too worn out, still dizzy from earlier anyway, and that didn’t help matters at all. “Varric,” she ground out, hating everything about the situation, “I’m sorry. I love you and I… I’m sorry.” 

No, no that wasn't good enough. She couldn’t just give up. She could not stand by and watch them take his life. Her resolve renewed, she struggled again, trying to kick out at the demons, roaring in pain and anger when she couldn’t get free, but she tried anyway.

Varric snapped his head back when he heard the commotion, his heart breaking as he saw Cassandra, beautiful and as fierce as ever. He was reminded of when they had first met, when she had kidnapped him, stabbed his book and demanded that he tell her the story of the Champion. With Erimond’s attention on Lindsey and Cullen, he groaned, pushing himself to his feet and rushed to the Seeker’s side, tackled by demons at the last moment. “Hey! Shhhh, Cassandra. Look at me,” he demanded as claws dug into his arms and started to pull him back, “Look at me, don’t give this bastard the satisfaction. He wants to see us fight, to see us hurt. Don’t you dare give him that. Don’t let him take that from you.” His own voice cracked as he looked at her, saw the desperation and he felt robbed in that moment. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, grow old, tell her old stories and write new ones just for her, only for her. “I love you,” he breathed.

Cassandra stopped fighting, her face against the floor and held there by a demon, her arms twisted painfully behind her back. This couldn’t be it for them. It couldn’t… She squeezed her eyes shut against the tears that fell anyway, but wrenched them back open the next moment. She didn’t want to lose a second with him, wanted to stare at him for as long as she possibly could. “I love you,” she whispered as tears dripped down her nose. They had him back where he’d started, forced to bend of his knees. Her heart raced with terror, her mind screamed for help from the Maker, from Andraste. She swallowed and found her voice again. “Varric, I love you!” If there was to be only one last thing she said to him, she wanted that to be it.

Varric felt more tears run down his face as he was forced back, facing the people of Kirkwall. Cassandra’s voice echoed in his ears along with the frantic shouts and cries of “No!” from everyone in the room. This was it then. A sense of utter failure washed over him as his head was forced down over a wooden bench that Erimond had made into a makeshift chopping block. He nearly choked as he thought about it, how it would make for a nice cliffhanger for one of his books. 

Erimond smirked, grabbing a large axe from one of the nearby demons and went to kneel next to Varric. He dug his fingers into the dwarf’s hair again. “So, that’s it then? Finally accepting your fate like the dog you are? No added pleas for me to spare your friends? Your lover? Your beloved city?  The last thing they will see of their Viscount is laying down and surrendering,” he spat out the last sentence and stood up, his fingers flexing around the axe. He usually detested the dirty work, but in this case he would make an exception. “Any last words?”

Varric looked out over the crowd, they were all waiting with baited breath for a miracle that wouldn’t come. “Don’t you give into this shit! Kirkwall has always been stronger than these bastards believe. You fight back and survive anyway you can and you give them hell before they bring you down!” he shouted and spat at Erimond’s boots, “And you’d better learn how to use a bar of soap. No one is going to believe you’re a noble from Tevinter with that hair. Oh, and fuck you.” He closed his eyes, focusing on Cassandra’s voice as the crowd’s shouting grew to a roar. At least he would go with her voice in his ears. “I’m so sorry.” He braced himself for the worst. 

Erimond sneered at the man and grit his teeth as he raised the axe over his head. “The only bad thing about killing you is that I can only do it once,” he hissed as he swung with all his might, his eyes widening as the weapon embedded itself into the bench. He had missed the dwarf entirely as someone had thrown themselves at Varric, knocking him away at the last possible moment. “What is the meaning of this!” He looked to his demons in rage and anger, his mouth opening to command them to seize the intruders. 

Cassandra could barely believe what she was seeing, the man laying atop of Varric. It couldn’t be! Could it? It had to be, there was no other explanation for it. “Hawke!”

“HOW DARE YOU.” The dark haired woman strode forward with a stern look on her face, snapping her fingers as she went, and Erimond froze in place, unable to so much as utter a word. Without someone to give them a command, the demons remained stationary, their postures deflating a bit. Anger sang through her veins as she stared hard at Erimond, barely paying attention as Cassandra, Cullen, and Lindsey were freed of their bindings. Dot slowly circled Erimond like a predator sizing up its prey. “You pathetic little excuse of a man,” she sneered. “I’ve waited a long time to get my hands on you.”

Lindsey all but flung herself forward to snatch up her baby, sobbing with relief that he was unharmed. She recognized Hawke, but who was the woman… She froze when she recognized her. “Gramma?” she gasped. She’d only ever seen her in pictures like this, but it was her. It didn’t matter at the moment. All that mattered was Varric was still alive, they were free, and she had her baby back in her arms.

“VARRIC!” Cassandra cried and threw herself at him, unable to stop the tears as she hugged him tightly. “Maker, I thought... “ She couldn’t even finish her sentence, she was so overcome with emotion. She pressed a fierce kiss to his lips, uncaring that the entirety of Kirkwall was watching them, and that Hawke was still practically in Varric’s lap as well.

Hawke chuckled as he removed himself from Varric who looked stunned, surprised to be alive. “Sorry about that. We would have been here sooner, but traffic was a bitch,” he joked as he stood up, looking out over the stunned crowd of Kirkwall citizens. The demons who had been under Erimond’s control stood still, an army without a commander. “Dot, I think you may be right about your theory. With Erimond out of the way, these ones here should just return to their original forms.” 

Varric clutched Cassandra, not entirely certain what had happened. He wasn’t entirely sure he was still alive. If he had died, this is what he would have wanted to happen. “Shit Hawke,” he started as he looked around and decided that he couldn’t be dead, this was too crazy as it was, “You always did know how to make an entrance.” He lifted a hand and rubbed at his neck, trying to ignore the crawling feeling of just how close he had been to losing it. “Took your sweet time, didn’t you?” he breathed before he turned back to Cassandra, holding her still as he met her kisses, “Shhh, we’re gonna be okay.”

Dot considered the demons that still stood posted around the room. “They’re harmless for the moment, anyway,” she said. She was curious to see if her theory was true, and so far it seemed that way. There were plenty of demons that were independent, free to attack as they saw fit, but these ones, with the way they obeyed Erimond’s every whim, she suspected they were different. She looked to the mage again, her frown deepening. She could see anger blazing in his eyes, and perhaps the tiniest amount of fear. “I know what you did to them. I know what you’ve done to countless people. And I know what you will continue to do if you’re allowed to go free.” She narrowed her eyes as she squared her shoulders. She knew how horrible of an existence it was, but she felt he deserved that and more. “I think you should be made tranquil.”

Cullen wrapped his arms tighter around Lindsey and his son, watching as Erimond’s eyes widened and there was an obvious attempt at trying to move from whatever hold Dot had placed upon him. 

Erimond’s lips quivered as he no doubt tried to shout orders at his demon army and the fear was evident in his face. 

Cullen narrowed his eyes at the mage and nodded his agreement to the suggestion. “First time I’ve seen fear in his face. Not too mention Varric has already killed him once, you see all the good that has done. Let him be a drooling mess at the mercy of those around him,” he said. 

Varric leaned his forehead against Cassandra’s, still trying to find his breath, trying to assure himself that this was real and that he hadn’t been lost. He moved then, standing with Cassandra as he thought it over. He did rather like the look in the man’s eyes and he wondered if that was the same sick pleasure that Erimond had been feeling when his own head had been on the chopping block. “Do it and be done with him. We have more important things than to put up with his shit any longer.”

Dot considered Erimond for a moment longer. Oh, it would be sickly satisfying to listen to him beg, to hear him scream and cry for her mercy. Poetic justice. But she knew if she gave him even an inch of freedom, he would order his demons to attack. And she was a better person than he was. She wasn’t going to get off on someone’s misery, no matter how much he deserved it. “I can see the fear in your eyes,” she said in a low voice to him. She could practically feel the panic overwhelming him. “You  _ should _ be afraid. The rest of your life will be a miserable existence. And you deserve every second of it. Magic has to returned to the world again. And now, you will be the only person in the world without it.” 

It was done quickly, and just as Dot had suspected, the second Erimond’s powers were gone, so was his hold over the demons. Their monstrous forms faded away, leaving behind the shades of spirits. She felt bad for them, seeing their true forms. They looked sad, as if ashamed of what they’d done. But spirits twisted against their true natures always became monsters. “It was not your fault,” Dot said to them. “Go now and be at peace.” A sigh escaped her as the spirits faded away to nothing and she turned to Aveline, who stood with the guards that had been held captive as well. “Take him to the… dungeon? Wherever is securest and bring me the key,” she instructed.

Aveline raised an eyebrow at the woman, but at Varric’s nod she inclined her head, a small smirk growing on her lips. “I believe I have just the place for him,” she murmured and motioned for some of her guards to flank the man. “Best to address the rest of Kirkwall while everyone’s here. We want to keep everyone safe until we know it’s safer out in the city.” She looked to Lindsey with her baby, “And you should be resting. I think we’ve all had enough excitement for the day.”

Lindsey sniffled and nodded. She got unsteadily to her feet, protectively holding the baby to her chest. She still feared for their son; he’d come much too early, he was tiny even for a newborn. They hadn’t even had a chance to choose a name for him yet. She felt like she should say something, but no words came to her and she allowed Cullen to lead her away from the crowd.

Cassandra was in awe as she stared at Hawke. She supposed it made sense, for him to be there now that the Veil was gone, but it was still hard to believe. “Maker,” she breathed, reaching out to poke his shoulder. “Is it really you?” She blinked and looked over at Dot. “And you’re here too! I thought, well, when the Fade was gone…”

A small laugh escaped Dot. “Surprising, I know,” she said. “But perhaps it’s all best discussed somewhere away from an audience.” She gestured towards the large crowd still gathered in the great hall of the keep. “Maybe you should say something to them, Varric. Then we can have this conversation somewhere else.”

Hawke chuckled as Varric easily stepped up and addressed the mass of people. “It’s a wonder they didn’t elect him sooner. With all the bullshit, tall tales and cunning, he fits right in,” he murmured, waving a hand at the crowd when Varric mentioned his return. He looked to Cassandra, “Sorry it took us so long. I knew you all were in trouble, it just took Dot a minute to figure out how to get us here.”

“You arrived just in time,” she assured him. Her heart was still racing as she watched Varric addressing the crowd. She wiped at her face, erasing the last of the tears on her cheeks. Her eyes felt puffy and raw; she knew she had to look a mess, and she didn’t care. All that mattered to her was that Varric was still alive and they truly never had to worry about Erimond again.

* * *

With the crowd pacified, or as well as they could be considering what they had been through, Varric turned, slipping his arm around Cassandra’s waist as he led the way back to his rooms. His mind was still swimming, still trying to wrap his head around what had happened, how close he had been to death. He needed a stiff drink. As it was, since Dot made Erimond tranquil, the immediate roar of demons seemed to have quieted down. They were no longer like a wave trying to break down the walls. The fear was for the Veil, the Fade and suddenly everyone discovering their magical abilities. He frowned at that, feeling something strange happening in his own body. He’d have to have a long talk with Chuckles later. He gave a groan as they made it to his rooms and he gestured to the seats and couches around the fireplace for everyone else before he sank into a plush loveseat.

Everything had happened so fast, Dot wasn’t entirely sure what to think. When the Veil came down, she’d expected to… well, she wasn’t entirely sure what. To cross over into the next life? Some form of that, at least. But now, here she was, solid in form and a much younger version of herself. She didn’t know what to think. All she knew was that she’d seen Erimond’s plans, knew what he was going to do, and the instant she found she continued to exist in this world, she and Hawke had raced to Kirkwall. 

“This is just the beginning,” she said, staring solemnly out the window. A heavy sigh escaped her. “I can’t see what Jennifer is doing now. When the Fade and this world were separate, I could keep an eye on all of you. Now…” She trailed off and shook her head. “I know Solas was prepared to face the elven gods when the veil came down. And I also know that they used Erimond as a distraction, gave him an army of demons. But where the gods are now, or where Jennifer and Solas are now, I can’t say.” She spoke in a faraway voice, almost more as if contemplating her thoughts aloud instead of speaking to any of the other in the room.

Hawke spared her a glance before he looked to his friend; he nearly smiled at the protective way Cassandra curled up at his side, her arm around him. He swallowed thickly, not certain what he would have done if he had been a second late. He trailed off and crossed his arms, looking over to Cullen and Lindsey who were in the bed together with their son between them. “Hard to say where they are, I imagine they fled when they took down the barrier if Erimond was waiting for them. Before the Veil crashed, Dot said she had glimpsed that Dorian was on his way to meet up with them.” 

“So what do we do?” Cassandra asked, still feeling a bit shaky, but much better now that they were back in the familiar comfort of their room. She wanted to help stop this problem, to fight something, to make it right, but she didn’t even know where to begin. “Do we try to find Solas? Or Dorian? I do not like the idea of them handling this on their own. And I believe I have a few choice words for that elf when I see him. This is madness. What could he have possibly been thinking?”

Hawke tilted his head. “From what I understand, he was thinking about the future. Keeping secrets from even those closest to him. You did read the tombstone in the Fade. We were all there together to see it. If you were an immortal or a being with a lot of years still ahead of you, dying alone would be my fear as well. He just had a funny way of going about it,” he muttered and leaned back against a table.

Varric snorted, “No shit. I still can’t believe he didn’t trust us enough with the truth. I knew he was going to find a way to free you, Hawke, but I didn’t think he’d end up taking down the whole damn sky.” He leaned his head back, lifting a hand to rub at his neck. “Still have a lot of shit to deal with. Everyone turning into mages for a start. I am real glad I’m not in Orzammar right now. They have to be going insane.”

“Is that what is truly happening?” Cassandra asked. She’d been so focused on the battle at hand that she’d barely had a moment to even think on the strange sensation in her body. When Dot nodded, Cassandra frowned. “But what about the people who don’t understand what’s going on? So many fear mages, and now  _ everyone  _ is a mage? Maker…” She could barely wrap her mind around it. “There is going to be chaos everywhere. We thought the breach was bad but this… I cannot begin to imagine it.”

Cullen had an ear to the conversation, he almost wished he hadn’t. After the life he had led, after everything he had endured, was he now the very thing he had once feared the most? He could feel a somewhat familiar sense in his body, much like when he drank lyrium. However, he had been clean for a year at the very least. This was so strange. “Yet another thing we must speak with Solas about,” he murmured. “This is going to change everything. If everyone is a mage, it would be illogical for everyone to end up in tower.” He shook his head and looked to Lindsey, brushing a strand of her hair out of her eyes before he looked down at his son, “We will have to find a way.”

“I’m just relieved that Erimond can’t harm us again,” Lindsey breathed, leaning into Cullen’s touch. Though her time as his captive had been horrifying, nothing in her life had ever frightened her as much as seeing her baby on the floor in front of that man’s boots. She closed her eyes and hugged the little one tighter to her, wondering if she would ever get that image out of her head. She was tired of the nightmares as it was. She didn’t need to add more. 

Now that the moment was over, and the adrenaline had stopped rushing through her, Dot felt rather exhausted. She’d never used magic quite that way and she wondered if she’d overdone it when she stopped Erimond. She finally turned away from the window and went to the bedside, looking down at the baby as she ran her fingers through Lindsey’s hair. “I think we could all use a moment to rest and gather our thoughts. We can make a plan in a few hours.”

“So, ah, Gramma? What should I call you now?” Lindsey asked. “You look younger than me.” She suddenly scowled, not liking that at all.

“I’m not going to tell you that your face will freeze like that, but only because you’re hormonal and you’ve had a rough day,” Dot lightly scolded. She leaned over and pressed a kiss to Lindsey’s forehead. “Just call me Dot like everyone else does. I’m still me, darlin’.” She stood up straight again, finally meeting Hawke’s eyes across the room. They’d talked so much while in the Fade, about what would happen when he had to leave, and then later what would happen to her once they found out that the Veil was coming down. But now… Now she didn’t know what path they were on. And that bothered her. She tore her gaze from Hawke and looked to Varric. “I know you must have an extra room in this place,” she said, then gave him a wink, “Only fair that you play host this time.”

Varric glanced up from Cassandra, catching the look between his best friend and Dot. He honestly was seeing more of her than he ever thought he would after she disappeared on him after she rescued him from the river. The look between the two of them made him feel as if he were intruding upon something he couldn’t understand. “Right, that’s not weird at all,” he said and he gave Cassandra’s hand a squeeze before he pushed himself up off the couch, pleased that the Seeker stood with him. “I’ll get you guys set up down the hall. Not sure if the fire’s going yet, the whole apocalypse kind of has my staff running around like crazy.”

He looked to Dot as he led the way towards one of the other guest rooms. “Speaking of crazy. The Veil was just torn down and you mentioned that those elven gods were using Erimond as a distraction for Solas. So that means Erimond was there with Solas after the Veil came down and all of this Fade shit started going crazy. How in the hell did that slimy bastard get here so damn fast?” He remembered the Dalish camp that had not been far from Kirkwall. “Oh, if he opened this shitstorm in my backyard...” he growled. 

“Erimond is… technically, no longer alive. He has a physical body, but he is not completely alive and human. He’s more like me, or your friend Cole,” Dot explained as they walked along. “It seems he used that to his advantage, figured out how to travel faster because of it, just the same as Cole does.” A slight frown pulled at her lips. “I was able to do the same, though it took me longer to figure it out. Otherwise Hawke and I would have been here sooner,” she said. She shook her head as she thought about Erimond again. “It’s a damn shame when intelligent people throw away their lives for their own selfish or misguided goals. He could’ve helped a lot of people if he’d wanted to.”

“No shit,” Varric muttered as he turned the information over in his head as he pushed the door open and couldn’t stop himself as a small grin appeared on his face and he presented the room with flourish to Hawke. “Here you are Messer and Lady. Finest room in all of Kirkwall. Demon free for the most part. I wouldn’t open any windows if I were you,” he said as he stood back, watching them for a moment as Hawke playfully shoved his shoulder and wandered inside. “It’s good to have you back, Hawke.” 


	16. Chapter 16

Jennifer took in another deep breath of the early evening air as she walked with Solas around the perimeter of their camp for the night while he set wards. She carefully held her little girl as she smiled at him while he worked, elegantly drawing the end of his staff into ornate patterns that glowed when he was finished. It had been a long day of travel for them all, so it spoke volumes how much taking the Veil down had added to his magic. They were headed towards the first signs of an evanuris, Ghilan’nain. Solas, Abelas and Sylaise had agreed that it was as good a place to start as anything else.  

The world was going to take some time getting used to, the brilliant colors, the tingle of magic surrounding her. Even the occasional spirit that wandered past. Any demons that tried to ambush them were quickly overpowered. For that, she was grateful. “I wonder how everyone else is. How my sister and Cullen are doing. Or what happened to Gramma and Hawke once the barrier came down,” she mused out loud as she slowly walked with the elf, casting him a sideways glance. 

“I’m sure they are fine, Vhenan,” he reassured her. In truth, he’d forgotten about Hawke, but he supposed he’d managed to at least keep his promise to Varric. Hawke would have been returned to this world when the Veil came down. Now Solas hoped that the man was still alive somewhere, wherever he ended up. He paused in setting the wards and reached out to run his fingers through Jennifer’s soft hair. “We will see them all again soon.” He knew why she was worried. She’d sent out letters to some of them days ago, but there had been no way of hearing back from any of them at this point. 

A rustling and snapping in the trees met his ears and he turned, stepping in front of Jennifer as his grip on his staff tightened. He could see figures moving through the trees, three of them, heading straight for their camp. “Stay behind me,” he said to Jennifer in a low voice. He wasn’t too worried about it; with his power restored, he would be able to handle a few demons easily. His eyes widened and his stance relaxed when he recognized the men walking towards them.

Jennifer’s eyes widened in surprise and relief to see Dorian, Bull, and even Krem walking through the trees and into the clearing towards them. She smiled brightly and hurried over to the mage who caught her in a tight hug. “Thank the Goddess, I’ve been worried sick,” she murmured into his robes as she hugged him back tightly as she could with one hand, smiling as she pulled away and stepped back. They looked rough, not enough sleep and possibly worry with what has been going on. “I see you got my letter?” She was surprised when the mage held up a finger to her and went over to Solas.

Dorian smiled brightly, holding his arms wide as if to hug the elf in front of him. “Solas!” he said happily before he tossed his staff to the side, clenched one hand into a fist, and swung with all of his might. Pain radiated through his hand as his knuckles made contact. The smile disappeared off of his face as he jumped on the staggering elf, knocking him to the ground. “You fucking bastard!” He swung again, his head snapping back as Solas retaliated. 

Total shock ripped through Solas when Dorian hit him. His staff fell and rolled from his hand as pain bloomed across his face. It was all he could do to hit back, to try to block the punches from the other man. Dorian’s weight pinned him to the ground and he was so completely stunned by what he thought was a friendly greeting that turned into this. “Get off!” he barked and threw his hand up, the heel of it catching Dorian’s chin. He  _ oofed _ when it earned him a punch to the gut in retaliation.

Sylaise rose from her spot by the fire, tipping her head curiously at the two men scuffling around on the ground. She didn’t know who this human was, or what quarrel he had with Solas, but an approving little smirk pulled at her lips. “I like this human.”

Bull stood beside Jennifer and crossed his arms as he watched the fight. It was a bit juvenile, no form at all, but it served its purpose. He looked down at Jennifer and the baby in her arms. “So, how are you and the kid doin’?” he asked casually.

When he heard the scuffle, Abelas immediately stood, pushing Ellie behind him as he took cautious steps towards the fighting. He stopped once he recognized the man on top of Solas. He wasn’t certain what surprised him more, that the fact the human had the gall to attack Solas like that or that Solas wasn’t doing much to stop it. Surprise could be a powerful enemy, he reasoned. 

“Don’t push me!” Ellie hissed at Abelas, peering over his shoulder at the fight. She edged around him, her eyes widening as she watched. “I thought Solas was supposed to be all powerful or some shit now?” she asked, snickering when the two men rolled, Solas on top to land a punch on Dorian’s cheek, only for Dorian to throw the elf off, then dive back on top of him. She leaned in a little closer to Abelas and muttered in a low voice, “I got five royals on Dorian.”

Jennifer’s eyes only widened as the scuffle went on. Dorian shouted at Solas that he was an idiot and other various colorful words in common and Tevene. She winced as Dorian got a particularly good punch in that she was certain broke Solas’s nose. She completely ignored Bull’s question as she tried to peel her eyes away from the scrap. “Ah Bull, shouldn’t we stop them?” she asked. Surely Dorian wouldn’t kill Solas. Right?

“Hmm? Nahhh. Let ‘em go. Dorian needs to get it out of his system,” Bull answered. “He’ll wear himself out here in a bit.” He watched the two men wrestle around, both of them looking rougher as each moment passed. “He’s just gotta work out all that anger and shit.” His eyebrow lifted as Dorian managed to land an awkward sort of swing to Solas’s ribs. “Any minute now.” He sighed, thinking that Dorian was taking it a bit far. “Yeahhh… he’s not gonna stop.” Bull finally uncrossed his arms as he stepped forward, grabbed Dorian by the scruff of his neck, and hauled him off of Solas. “Enough, Kadan,” he said firmly.

Dorian turned his head to the side and spat out the blood from where he had bitten the inside of his cheek when Solas had gotten a good punch in. He nearly growled as Solas sat up. He could hear Krem laughing behind him at the way the two of them looked, something about two cats having it out with each other, and Dorian shot Bull a look for stopping him. The Qunari set him down and he let out a heavy sigh as he ran a bruised hand through his messed up hair and he grit his teeth as he straightened his ruined robes. “You lying bastard. I can’t believe you. After everything we’ve been through, you still had the gall to lie through your damn teeth to us. Does Jennifer even know the truth?” He spat again. 

“What are you on about?” Solas hissed as he pushed himself up on his elbow, wiping at his face with his free hand. It came away streaked with blood. He could smell it in his nose, taste it in the back of his throat. He scowled at Dorian as he got to his feet. He couldn’t possibly think of a single thing he’d kept from Jennifer now. “She knows everything,” he snipped, really starting to feel the pain from Dorian’s attack now. “You are lucky you caught me by surprise,” he said in a low, dangerous tone. “Now who’s the barbarian?” he muttered under his breath, recalling how Dorian liked so often to accuse others of the same.

The words seemed a slap in the face and Dorian struggled freshly against Bull, hoping to surprise the Qunari into dropping him so he could punch the elf in the face again. “Don’t you fucking threaten me! You know damn well what I’m talking about! Or since the Veil is destroyed, did you conveniently ‘forget’ about your bloody Elvhen artifacts?!” he shouted, his eyes narrowing at the elf, “Thought I would do you a favor, activate a few more to make certain the Veil wouldn’t come crashing down around you while you searched for a safe way to take down the barrier! And wouldn’t you know what happened?” He grit his teeth, his chest heaving as he watched. He wanted answers, he wanted something to indicate that this man had any sort of remorse inside of him. “It ripped open a hole right on top of us and we were nearly mauled by a small army of demons!”

Jennifer swallowed, watching Dorian as he accused Solas, her own eyes going to the elf as her mind turned over the information. “The Elvhen artifacts? The ones used to strengthen the Veil? Those things that Solas had the Inquisitor looking for all over Thedas? There were tons of those things.” She looked to Solas, worry filling her face as she held their daughter tightly. “Solas, it isn’t true, is it?”

A groan escaped Solas as he ran a hand down his face, streaking the blood there even more. “I didn’t intentionally keep that from you, Vhenan,” he said, feeling his frustration rise. Now he wanted to attack Dorian. “I just… forgot to mention it.” Even as he said it, it sounded like a pathetic excuse. He shook his head; he was so sick of messing up, of giving Jennifer more reasons to doubt him. “By the time you came to Thedas, we had activated so many of them already. That was before you asked me to consider a different way. The Veil was already weak when you got here. How do you think they came to your world in the first place? What had been done was already done, and there was no undoing it. I should have said something sooner, but they seemed a minor detail.”

“Minor?” Dorian jerked from Bull’s grasp, getting into Solas’s face again, “You call that a minor detail? You really think that we are bloody children, don’t you? Oh don’t bother with them with the MINOR details. How could they possibly understand? They’ve only lived but a moment compared to I. Well living an eternity hasn’t made you the expert on life, has it?” He grit his teeth and threaded his fingers through his hair, wanting very much to pull it out. “I’ve tried to understand, I really have, but I am honestly sick of you thinking that this is a one man, one elf conquest!” 

Jennifer felt tears gathering in her eyes when she thought about it. She remembered that part in the game well. The first time they had gone to activate an artifact. The elf you met along the way said that she believed the artifact to strengthen the Veil, but she had been Dalish and Solas had not made to correct her when she suggested it as such. She cursed under her breath. Solas was all too eager to point out the flaws of the Dalish, but this one had been right? “I should have known better.” As it was, if Solas hadn’t been tearing apart the Veil, she might not have ever met them. She wouldn’t have him and she wouldn’t have her little girl. It hurt like hell though and she looked to Dorian. “He’s right. What’s done is done and meeting you and the others coming to my world could never have been a mistake.” She looked to Solas, her eyes narrowing, “Anything else you’ve ‘forgotten’ to mention,  _ love _ ?”

Solas quickly shook his head. “No,” he breathed. A relief crashed through him to hear her agree that there was no point in dwelling on the past. He took a step closer to her, his heart thudding against his ribs. “And had I thought about it, I would have told you. I swear it, Jennifer. It was not my intention to mislead you. Again.”

“Wait a minute,” Ellie said slowly. “So we had to bring the Veil down because it was weak and starting to fall apart. But the reason it was so weak in the first place is because you were activating these ancient elven thingies?” She turned suddenly towards Abelas. “And you knew about this?!” she cried and promptly smacked him upside the back of his head. “And you didn’t tell me?!” She drew her arm back, prepared to smack him again, but paused to hear his answer first.

Abelas had half a mind to roll his eyes, but the other half told him that was as unwise as Solas trying to challenge Dorian on the matter. “If you recall, I was in service to Mythal at her temple up until the Inquisition visited and took the power from the Well. Morrigan stabbed me and I was in your great care until after the destruction of Skyhold. I had no idea that Fen’harel had decided to reactivate the artifacts, nor have I ever taken any part in their activation. If you wanted to just smack something, there are plenty of trees around for your abuse.” 

Ellie felt better as he explained himself, but her eyes widened at the word “abuse.” She swung again, but aimed lower and slapped him on the ass with a resounding smack. “I’ll abuse your ass,” she muttered and went back to the fire now that the scuffle between Dorian and Solas was over. “And you’ll like it,” she added.

Sylaise slowly shook her head. “So much violence among these shemlen,” she said. She paused and pointed at Dorian. “But that one, I like.” She looked to Jennifer, the corner of her mouth twisting slightly. “So I see he hasn’t changed one bit. Deceiving those he claims to care about, his only thoughts for his own selfish goals. There’s a reason they warn to beware the Dread Wolf, girl. Now you see why,” she said and turned to join Ellie at the fire.

Dorian froze in his steps as he went to the fire. The Dread Wolf? He looked over at the strange Elvhen woman and then to Abelas who had said Fen’harel. One in the same, but surely they didn’t mean that Solas was… He looked to the bald elf and saw the look in his eyes. Everything clicked into place and he growled as he sat down on a log near the fire. “Well doesn’t that just figure. Makes a lot of sense, actually. Everything you’ve ever said, ever done. It all becomes clear, now.”

Bull snorted and sat down beside Dorian, feeling rather sour about everything as well. He could see a bruise blooming on Dorian’s cheekbone already, the mage’s hair all mussed, and even though they were all in a sour mood, he couldn’t help but to think that the image was rather endearing. Still, he was in no mood. “Everything about this is shit, Solas. For once, just think before you act.” He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the fire. “Fade crap, demon crap, magic crap,” he growled. “Let’s just turn it loose on the whole world. Let’s just shit up everything.”

Solas frowned at them all. He thought he’d done rather well lately, talking things over with Abelas and Jennifer and Ellie, asking for their opinions, their thoughts on such matters. But maybe in the end it didn’t matter at all. No one would ever see him for anything but the monster that the old tales made him out to be. 

With a heavy sigh, he bent to pick up his staff from the dirt. “Go get something to eat, Vhenan,” he said softly. “I’ll finish setting the wards before any more trouble comes this way.” He didn’t meet her eyes as he spoke. Dorian was right. Sylaise was right. He was a liar, a deceiver, and even when he tried not to be, it still happened. He could feel Jennifer’s disapproval in the air that he’d kept yet another thing from her. And it made his heart sink.

Jennifer sighed, seeing the defeat in his eyes. It broke her heart and she knew she couldn’t let it go. She hurried over to Ellie, passing her daughter to the woman. “Tag, you’re it,” she said before grabbing up her pack she had set off to the side when they first arrived. She dug into it and pulled out a few jars, tossing one to Bull. “Poultice for Dorian’s face, though it’s rather fetching with all the bruises and swelling,” she said, giving him a wink before she went after Solas as he continued to head off, almost out of sight. “Solas!” she called, “Solas, wait!”

Solas paused in his steps, almost surprised to hear her voice calling after him. “Jennifer,” he said, catching her arm as she hurried to him. “It is alright. Really, you do not have to do this.” He didn’t want her to come with him out of pity. “I know you are upset. I understand. I… thought perhaps you might like some space for the evening. I know the others need time to calm themselves.” He looked back towards the camp; really, the only one who seemed pleased about it all was Sylaise. “The wards are set. The camp is safe. I will be fine, you may go back to the camp if you like. I won’t be out here long.”

“Hush,” she said and gripped his arm back as she tugged him back into the path he had been walking when she ran up. “I’m less upset about it than they are. Especially because if you hadn’t done what you did, I’m not sure if we’d have this moment together. Or Olivia. I wouldn’t give either of you up for anything. I know you would have told me if you had thought about it,” she said as she finally pulled him to a stop when the camp was out of sight and out of earshot. “Come here. Let me fix your nose,” she murmured.

He let her turn him and he moved to sit on a soft spot beneath a tree. He deserved the pain, didn’t deserve her kindness. Now that the heat of the moment had passed, he knew that Dorian had every right to be angry. He’d lied to the other man, lied to all of them, used them for his own gains all along. Until Jennifer came along, that is. “You are a better person than I could ever hope to be, Vhenan,” he murmured, wincing slightly as she touched his face. He swallowed harshly and met her eyes. “When am I going to stop being such a failure?” he whispered, almost cringing at how broken he sounded in that moment.

Jennifer gave him a sad smile as she cupped his face in her hands for a moment. “You aren’t a failure. You’ve accomplished much. You’ve just been alone for so long, betrayed by those who should have been your closest allies. I know it’s not easy for you to trust. Or to believe that you aren’t alone any more. You have a family now. It’s more than just Olivia and I. Everyone back at camp. Varric and everyone in Kirkwall. They care for you in ways you don’t understand. To find out all of the lies, it’s a very heavy thing to hear. As much as it is for you to carry.” She paused for a moment, studying his sad eyes and her heart ached for him. “Deep breath,” she warned him before she pushed the bridge of his nose back into place with her thumbs, wincing as she heard the cartilage scrape together. 

“Fenedhis!” he cursed, pulling back from her the second she stopped pressing against his nose. He shook his head, snorting as the pain bloomed across his face. “I never would have thought Dorian capable of such a hit.” A groan escaped him as he leaned back against the tree and let out a slow breath. A ripple of magic danced across the trunk as his back touched it. It was warm and comforting, so familiar. He looked up at Jennifer, seeing the look in her eyes, and he realized she wasn’t done with him yet. His face screwed up again as his nose throbbed. “Does this count as my punishment for failing to tell you about the artifacts?”

She chuckled at that as she unscrewed the cap to one of the jars she brought with her. “No, I think Dorian did that when he handed your ass to you. Guess those muscles of his are for more than just show,” Jennifer murmured as she dipped her fingers into the salve and brushed it over the broken skin on his face. “Sorry,” she murmured as he winced in pain and she took in the utterly depressed look of him as they sat together. “You’ve been doing so well, I’m really proud of you. I can see and feel the beauty of this world and I can’t even imagine what it must have been like for you to wake up to what you did. I think the world has a better chance of surviving because you chose to slow down and work with us. You have been too hard on yourself for so long. This is a new world with a fresh start. You deserve the same.”

He swallowed harshly. “Do I?” he questioned. He leaned his head back, looking around at the forest, listening to the night sounds. A weak smile tugged at his lips. “I can hardly believe that the veil is down,” he breathed. He looked at Jennifer. “Can you feel it? Feel the magic in the air, in the earth?” he asked as he reached for her hand, tugging her gently to sit beside him. He spread his other hand through the moss on the ground, watching as it glowed brighter at his touch. “It’s in everything around us now. And growing stronger.”

Jennifer smiled at the innocence in his eyes as he looked around. She turned his hand in her grasp and smeared more of the poultice over the bruises on his knuckles. “It reminds me of this movie we had back in my world. It was called Avatar. This looks so similar to it,” she said as she finally set aside the medicine and looked around a moment before she focused on him. She reached up and cupped his cheek, her thumb dragging gently over a high cheekbone. Her heart ached to see him so sad, still punishing himself after everything that he had been through. “You’ve done all that you can, Solas. More than anyone else can say that they have. After we find and stop the evanuris, I think it’s time that you forgive yourself. It is time for the world to decide its fate.”

The corners of his mouth twitched. “Perhaps, once everything is corrected,” he said softly. He licked his lips slowly and looked at her. “I don’t know if I remember what it’s like to live without guilt. I think part of me will always feel guilty. I know what we’ve done. I know that there are people dying as we speak, because they fear magic, because they don’t understand. And yet…” He paused and swallowed. “I cannot feel any guilt because of it. I only regret that it was not done sooner, that I took anything from my people in the first place.” He reached for her then, curling his long fingers around the back of her neck to pull her closer so he could kiss her lips. He loved how soft and full her lips were against his, the sound of her soft moan, the sweet taste of her as he deepened the kiss. After a long moment, he finally pulled back, slightly breathless, and met her eyes as he leaned their foreheads together. “I could never feel guilty about keeping you and Olivia safe. I know it is selfish, but having you by my side for the rest of my life is the one thing I want for myself.”

Her lips curled up against his in a smile. Oh but wasn’t he the smooth talker. “Charmer,” she murmured. She was so very tired from worrying over everything. Over Mythal, the Veil, the Fade, demons. Even Erimond. “I’m going to look forward to the day when we can settle down, but now that the world is like this I feel as if it will be a hot second. I just want to see everything. I want to make sure our family is okay, will be okay.” She studied his face for a moment, drinking in the details, the cleft of his chin, the brightness of his eyes. She lifted a hand, tracing the outline of his ears all the way to the tips. She cast a glance over her shoulder towards the camp and looked back at him slyly. “See? Can’t alienate everyone or we wouldn’t have anyone to watch Olivia.”

The look in her eyes made his breath catch. “It would seem we have a moment alone, don’t we?” he said and leaned in quickly to catch her lips again. It had been a while since they’d had a moment to themselves, and he found himself craving her now that they had the chance. He slid his hand up her side, drawing his thumb across her ribcage, brushing the underside of her breast. He would not waste this opportunity. His body hardened at the thought of taking her right there, surrounded by the beautiful glowing lights of the forest. “Vhenan,” he breathed huskily as he moved them to lay back on the soft ground and he sealed his lips around the side of her neck, running his hands over her.

Jennifer gasped as he sucked a hickey to life on her neck. It had been a while since they had a moment to themselves. Even though her friends were just a brief walk away, she had to ignore that. She wanted Solas. She smiled against his skin, remembering the game she played. How frustrated she had been with him since it had been so shrouded if the player had sex with the elf at all. Considering what she had seen from the elf, the players had barely reached first base with the second kiss. She smiled against him, rolling to her back on the moss as she tugged the elf on top of her. “Make love to me.”

“How could I deny you?” he purred and pulled back from her only long enough to strip himself of his shirt and breeches before he laid over her again. He pressed his lips firmly against hers, his tongue carefully exploring her mouth as his hand went for the laces on her breeches. The lace came away easily and he slid his hand inside, letting his fingers trace the line of her lips as he pulled back to watch her expression. Her heat against his hand was enough to drive him mad with desire already. “Soon this will be over, this war, the chaos,” he said in a low tone, “And we will have a home of our own where we can spend every night like this.” He slowly slid two fingers in her and his cock throbbed at how hot and tight she was. “We will have all the time in the world.”

Jennifer could only gasp as she felt the two slender finger slide inside of her as his voice purred into her ear. It was so much more than what she expected, what the game could have ever given her. This was more than a game, this was life. Her life, thanks to her grandmother. “Solas,” she cried as she dug her fingernails into his back and thrust up against him, “Oh gods, yes, please, more!”

Oh how he loved to hear her like that, to know that he could bring her so much pleasure. He moved quickly to strip away her boots and her pants, then settled himself on his chest between her legs. She smelled divine and his mouth watered as he slid his fingers back into her as he leaned forward to lap hungrily at her clit. His other hand slid up beneath her shirt to tease at her breast as he began to suck at her. All he wanted to do was please her, to bring her as much pleasure as he possibly could. His fingers carefully searched, seeking out a tender spot, and he smirked when her hips jerked as he pressed against it.

She gasped out as Solas played her body as if she were an instrument and he the conductor. His fingers were divine and she could sing the way he pressed them into her, the way his tongue moved eagerly against her clit with a soft, wet heat that was making her quickly lose her mind. She moved, moaning as she sat up briefly, stripping away her shirt before she flopped back to the ground. Her hand closed over his upon her breast while her other hand went to cradle the back of his head. “Solas,” she breathed, slipping a leg over his shoulder and shuddering as he pressed against her g spot once more. 

Solas mercilessly worked his fingers against that spot, licking at her body as she became wet upon his fingers. Oh, she tasted heavenly. He moaned against her as he sucked her clit again, sliding his hand down her abdomen to press down on her lower belly. He couldn’t stop himself from rocking his hips against the soft moss beneath him, his length hard and aching for her. But he wanted to satisfy her first. “Come for me, Vhenan,” he breathed hotly against her sex before he sealed his lips around her again and worked a third finger into her body. 

Jennifer’s breath caught in her throat as her whole body seized with pleasure as she came, clamping her muscles down around Solas’s fingers as he continued to tease her as she came and came. Tears slid down her face it was so good. It had been much too long since she had a moment to be with him like this. “Solas!” she cried out, her whole body tingling, as though on the verge of something more, but it was rapidly slipping away from her and she finally went still against the moss beneath her. “Mmm. You are too good at that.”

He smiled at her as he crawled up to lay his body over hers. “You flatter me,” he purred, kissing at the side of her neck as he rocked his hips forward. Her wet heat against him drove him crazy and he knew he couldn’t wait. He guided her leg around his waist and slid into her with one solid thrust. A sharp moan escaped him as her tight heat wrapped around his cock, soothing the ache just a bit. “You feel amazing, ma lath,” he breathed as he pulled back, then snapped his hips forward again.

She couldn’t stop the deep groan that escaped her as he pushed into her, the delicious feeling of being filled so completely by him sent a shudder through her body as she looked up to him, meeting his intense gaze. She couldn’t stop her eyes from drinking in his features, the almost innocent way he held her, the gentle look in his eyes as if he were gazing upon the most precious thing in the world. “I love you,” she choked out as she wrapped her legs more securely around his waist, drawing him deeper into her.

The affection he saw in her eyes and her choked words made his heart warm. He slowed his pace, savoring the moment as he pressed deeply into her. “Ar lath ma, vhenan,” he answered, pressing a firm kiss to her lips. He rested his forehead against hers as his hips set a slow, steady pace, and he reached for her hand, lacing their fingers together. “I am so lucky to have you,” he breathed quietly, biting his lip as his hips rocked against hers. “I do not know what I did to deserve you, but I am grateful that fate chose to be kind to me.” He lowered his head to kiss at her breast, drawing her nipple into his mouth as a shiver raced down his spine.

She couldn’t stop the moan of pleasure as he carefully thrust into her, every movement brushing up against her clit and that spot deep inside of her. She could feel her whole body starting to tingle again, it was a new sensation, but it felt so good. She moaned, leaning in to bite at Solas’s shoulder as she focused on that feeling as it grew and grew. It was like her entire body were filling with a slick, molten heat that just made her see stars. “Goddess, yes, right there. Just like that,” she purred. 

Solas shivered again as her teeth grazed his skin. She was so slick and hot upon his hard flesh, he didn’t know how much longer he could hold back. He sucked harder at her breast as he thrust faster into her, his own pleasure building. He could feel her clenching around him, her body impossibly tight as he sheathed himself in her over and over. “Jennifer,” he nearly whimpered, his face screwing up as the ache in his body became almost unbearable. “Come with me. Please,” he begged as he drove himself into her, growling through his teeth as the pleasure climaxed and he came inside her.

Jennifer cried out as Solas’s words inflamed her and she gave herself over to her orgasm; every nerve, sensation seemed to explode with a pleasure she hadn’t known before as she clung to the elf. Her eyes shot open as she felt a sudden flash of heat and there was a loud pop in the air with the smell of smoke and fire. It took her a moment to realize what she was seeing over Solas’s shoulder, but she realized that the tree above her had caught fire and was raining embers down upon them. 

And their clothes. 

“Fenedhis!” Solas cursed and jumped. He’d felt her magic surge, but he hadn’t expected that. He quickly sat back on his knees and threw an ice spell at the flames on the tree. A burst of steam hissed through the night air, and he aimed a second one at their clothes, but the damage was already done. Nothing but a few strips of charred fabric remained. He dragged a hand down his face, looked back at Jennifer on the ground, and burst into laughter. “Oh Vhenan,” he said, leaning over her on his hands, still chuckling. “I believe this tops even Dorian’s story about setting the drapes on fire.” He leaned down and hid his face in the side of her neck. “You know this means we will have to try to sneak back into camp.”

Jennifer groaned as she realized what had happened. She turned her face, hot with embarrassment into Solas’s neck. “Damn you,” she muttered, “Why didn’t you warn me that could happen!” She smacked his arm as she sat up and looked around, but there was nothing else left to cover themselves with. She frowned and looked at the elf. “I’m using you as cover.”

He frowned right back, though it was playful. “I did warn you that magic would return to the world and all the people here,” he reminded her. At least they had clothes back at camp. But he was not looking forward to their walk of shame. “Alright,” he agreed and stood, reaching for her hand to help her stand. “I’d rather they see me than you. I don’t want Iron Bull getting any ideas.” He smiled and ran his fingers through her hair. “Though we will have to see what we can do about harnessing this power of yours.”

Jennifer snorted as she stepped up behind him, wrapping her arms tightly around his torso as she pressed against him, reveling in the softness of his skin. “Mmm, I wouldn’t worry about Bull. Dorian is more than enough for him,” she murmured and peered over his shoulder as she saw the light of camp. Well, it wasn’t as if she had anything to be modest about. They had all seen each other nude in one form or another. “Come on, if you can get me in the tent without them getting an eyeful, I might have something else for you.”

Solas tipped his chin up and squared his shoulders, prepared for the teasing he was sure would come. He could ignore them easily enough, and his moment alone with Jennifer was more than worth it. “I shall do my best.”

Ellie looked up from her spot by the campfire where she rocked little Olivia in her arms. “Is that smoke?” she asked, squinting through the trees. That was the direction she’d seen Jennifer and Solas disappear. “I hope they aren’t hurt. Should we - oh!” Her eyes went wide when she saw Solas, nude, striding towards their camp and Jennifer trying to hide behind him. She didn’t know what to think. “Um… are you two… I mean…”

Solas could feel his face burning, but he kept his expression neutral. Did it have to be such a long walk from the treeline to their tent? He wanted to smack himself now. “Small mishap with some magical fire,” he answered tersely. “We are unharmed. Nothing to be concerned about.”

Ellie tried to hold in her laughter, she really did, but ended up snorting painfully through her nose as she burst into a fit of giggles. “Don’t look,” she said and covered Olivia’s eyes with her hand.

Dorian felt his mouth drop open as he observed a full, unobscured view of Solas, naked as the day he was born. Jennifer in the same state trying to hide behind the elf as much as she could. Unfortunately a curvy woman trying to hide behind a thin elf didn’t work as well as she intended. “Do not tell me that you… him…” He smacked his face and dragged his hand down it. “Oh for Andraste’s sake, I’m still mad at him! How could you reinforce his behavior!”

Bull raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t any happier with Solas than Dorian was. And yet, still… “That’s hot,” he said almost casually. He let his eye roam up and down both their forms, and a smirk pulled at his lips. His hands went to his own belt. “Sooo… we all getting naked?”

“NO,” Sylaise said firmly, giving Solas a disapproving sneer, then turned pointedly away to stare at the fire. That was an image of the Dread Wolf that she did not need in her head. She crossed her arms and grumbled under her breath about Solas being her only option for stopping the other evanuris. 

Abelas watched for a moment, tearing his eyes away to look down at Ellie who couldn’t stop herself from giggling up a storm. “Creators help us,” he muttered as he ruffled her hair and glanced back up to Solas; the couple had already made it to their tent and Jennifer had slipped inside. “We will have to talk in the morning with our friends, do not stay up too late, lethallin,” he said, ignoring the groan from Dorian and Sylaise.

His face and ears still burning, Solas managed to swallow an exasperated groan as he ducked into the tent. Okay, so the walk wasn’t as bad as he anticipated, but he certainly was glad that it was over. He shot an annoyed look at the tent wall. “I can still hear Ellie giggling out there,” he muttered before he looked to Jennifer, whose face looked equally as red as his felt. “So, you said you might have something for me,” he said curiously. “Did I defend your honor well enough to earn it?”

Jennifer grinned and reached up to tug the elf down onto their bedroll, pushing him to lay back on the plush bedding. “Oh, I might have a few things for you,” she purred as she kissed his lips, his throat, trailing downwards. She imagined that the others outside wouldn’t pay them much mind and she hoped that Bull could take care of Dorian. He looked as if he had a lot of stress on his shoulders. She knew they would talk at length tomorrow, but for now she was content to just enjoy the peace with Solas. It was a weight off of her shoulders to know that Dorian, Bull, Krem and hopefully the cat were okay. She missed her sister, but knew that they would see them eventually. She could feel that all was well with her. She shook the thoughts from her head as she let her hand curl around Solas’s length, sighing out as she took him into her mouth.

Solas gasped and bit the back of his own hand to stop himself from crying out. His heart raced at the thought of the others just outside the tent, knowing that he and Jennifer could be heard if they weren’t careful. Her mouth and hand on him were perfect, making his length harden in an instant, and he gently thrust up to meet her lips. “Vhenan,” he breathed quietly, reaching down with one hand to sweep her hair out of her face. His fingers tangled in the silky strands as he threw his head back, swallowing down another gasp of pleasure. Her mouth was hot and wet upon him, her tongue soft as she curled it around him, teasing him. Oh but she was talented. “More,” he whispered. “Please, more.”

Jennifer chuckled against him as she flicked her tongue over the slit at the top before she gently nibbled along the side of the impressive shaft. She knew if she wasn’t careful, the elf would probably get her pregnant again. Perhaps now, during the stress of hunting down the evanuris, it was best postponed until after everything was sorted. She’d make a tea in the morning to handle anything unexpected. She hummed around the flesh, licking away drops of precum as they appeared while her hand kept a steady pace on what she couldn’t reach.

A soft moan escaped him as he threw his head back against the bedroll. The heat of her mouth around the head of his cock was delicious torture, and he wanted more. He wanted all of her, to feel her tight heat around him again, to watch her as she bounced on his cock… He hissed sharply through his teeth at the mental image and his length throbbed in her mouth. “Jennifer,” he said as he fisted his hand into her hair, tugging at it as he tried to pull her to lay over him. “Come up here, ma lath. I want you again.”

Jennifer groaned as she was pulled up, licking her lips as she gazed down at the elf below her. The desperation she could see in his eyes, the vulnerability, made her heart ache for him to think that he thought she had been angry with him. That she would cast him aside at all. She reached down between them, steadying his length before she sank down onto him, her head falling back in pure bliss. He filled her so perfectly, body and mind, she couldn’t imagine her life without him in it. Whatever his mistakes in life, she had made them too. He had paid for his mistakes dearly and was still trying to accept punishment for them. She rocked slowly, grasping his hands and holding them to her breasts as she locked eyes with him. “You need to forgive yourself.”

Solas gave a low groan as she sank down on him. Her body was perfect, cradling him tightly in her heat, and… “What?” he asked, going still beneath her as his mind registered her words. He let his hands drop to her hips, his length still throbbing inside her as she rocked on him. He was so torn, loving the physical pleasure, but confused about her statement at the same time. Or, rather, not her statement, but the timing of it. He gently thrust up against her, reaching up to cup her breasts again, his thumbs teasing at her nipples. “You… wish to talk about this now?” he asked. A teasing smile pulled at his lips. “It is hardly pillow talk.”

She chuckled, the laughter turning into a soft moan as he thrust back up against her and she lifted one hand to her lips, kissing at his palm. She rubbed her cheek against the hand, callus from years of wielding a staff. “Mmm, when else am I going to have your undivided attention, love?” Jennifer leaned her head against the hand as she looked down at him, noting the confusion in his gaze, “You are trying to change the subject.”

“Nooo,” he said slowly as he shook his head. “I would never do such a thing.” He really didn’t want to have this conversation, not yet anyway. And he wasn’t ready to forgive himself. That would be premature, he felt, until after the chaos died away and the evanuris were dealt with. He sat up, guiding her legs to wrap around his waist as he wrapped his arms around her. He nuzzled the valley between her breasts before he carefully took her nipple into his mouth and gave a sharp thrust up with his hips.

Jennifer couldn’t stop the moan that escaped her at Solas’s attentions and she moved to wrap her arms around his head, holding him to her. She lowered her own head, kissing at his ear. “You are so bad,” she purred against him as she countered by slowly rocking against him, enjoying the delicious friction at the slower pace. She could feel his length throbbing and twitching inside of her and it drove her crazy with want for him. “Do you think you will do better work thinking it as a punishment? Or as a cause that you are working for?”

He shivered as she kissed at his ear, her hot breath caressing his skin. He gripped her hips, letting her writhe in his lap as he rocked slowly to match her pace. It was hard to concentrate on her words when he was so distracted by the pleasure she gave him. He didn’t want to think about it at that moment, he didn’t want to talk about it. “Vhenan,” he whined as he kissed his way across her chest to her other breast, slowly and deliberately tracing the edge of her nipple before he lightly flicked his tongue over the hardened tip. “Can’t we discuss this later?”

She groaned as she forced herself to stop on him, sitting still as she pushed him back, pressing his shoulders down onto the bedroll. She blinked at him with innocent eyes. “Oh? Too tired to continue? We could sleep for a little bit and then see if you feel like talking about it in the morning. But then, why do I have the feeling you would try this same nonsense?” she questioned him, sitting up straighter as she peered down at him. “Though, maybe you are right. You don’t want to forgive yourself because there is nothing to forgive. You’ve already suffered enough. Your atonement complete.” She could feel sweat starting to roll down her face, her back. Her composure was wafer thin as it was, but this was too amusing and important to her to let it go without something of a fight. 

Solas nearly let out a growl of frustration. She was relentless. He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Have I ever told you you talk too much?” he asked as he suddenly rolled them over, pinning her beneath him. He didn’t want to have this conversation, least of all at a moment like this. He smothered her mouth with his own, his tongue curling around hers as he thrust deeply into her. He moaned against her mouth, his eyes fluttering shut at the delicious friction. Perhaps if he could distract her with more pleasure, she would let the subject go for the time being. He slid his hands down her sides and grabbed her knees, lifting both her legs to rest on his shoulders, and drove himself deeper into her.

Any thought she might have had flew right out of her mind as Solas turned the tables on her. Jennifer moaned against him, kissing him back just as passionately as he kissed her. There was a desperation there and she wondered if she had pushed him too far, but one more thrust from his lean hips and that thought as well disappeared. She moaned loudly, clutching him tightly, nails digging into his back as she held on as he bent her in half and drove them closer and closer to completion. 

Solas lost himself in her as he kissed hungrily at her mouth and set a brutal pace with his hips. He didn’t care if the others heard them, he didn’t care if they were angry with him. The only thing in that moment that existed was Jennifer. His cock throbbed and swelled inside her and he muffled a needy moan into the side of her neck. His face screwed up and he kissed her again as his pleasure peaked and he came with a hushed cry of pleasure.

Feeling him spill inside of her, the liquid heat filling her and hitting all of the right places, Jennifer found herself following him over that edge and clutched at him tightly as she came. Stars exploded in front of her eyes, but thankfully, nothing caught on fire. She nearly giggled as she remembered that Bull had once said that Dorian had accidentally set the curtains on fire. She could understand that now, but it couldn’t happen again. She didn’t like the idea of walking around naked all day in front of friends and family. It got a little weird. She sighed out contentedly, kissing at the elf’s shoulder. “You are a very bad man,” she murmured.

“I know,” he muttered into her neck as he relaxed over her. He gave a heavy, contented sigh, feeling satisfied and sleepy now. “I suppose one of us should dress and get Olivia,” he said as he slowly moved off of her to flop onto the bedroll at her side. He pressed his lips thin as he stared into her eyes. He could see it there, her want to continue their conversation about him forgiving himself. “Don’t, Vhenan,” he said softly, almost pleadingly. 

Jennifer turned on her side so she could face him better, studying his expression carefully. She reached out and gently pressed her thumb to the crease between his brow, soothing away the wrinkles she saw there before she cupped his cheek. “Alright, but you should know that at least I forgive you. Even if you are too stubborn to forgive yourself. I just hate to see you punishing yourself for something you have already paid for dearly.”

Even after all the time they’d been together, it still baffled him to hear her forgive him so easily. It warmed his heart to hear it again, but he couldn’t stop himself from chuckling as he wrapped his arms around her. “You never blamed me in the first place,” he gently reminded her and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Perhaps once this is all over, I will. I will try, at least. But until the evanuris are dealt with, I cannot. I must first make it right, by the people, by everyone affected by my actions. Then I will worry about seeking forgiveness. What matters now is that I correct the mistakes I made.”   



End file.
